biotechnology, one can begin to imagine what markets, visions, discoveries and inventions may shape its outcome and what critical thresholds in infrastructure and resources will make it possible. In 1984 and 1985, I was among a dozen or so researchers who proposed a Human Genome Project (HGP) to read, for the fi rst time, the entire instruction book for making and maintaining a human being contained within our DNA. The project’s goal was to produce one full human genome sequence for $3 billion between 1990 and 2005. We managed to fi nish the easiest 93 percent a few years early and to leave a legacy of useful technologies and methods. Their ongoing refi nement has brought the street price of a human genome sequence accurate enough to be useful down to about $20 million today. Still, that rate means large-scale genetic sequencing is mostly confi ned to dedicated sequencing centers and reserved for big, expensive research projects.