More jaw-dropping scientific advances lay ahead

If the past year saw some incredible gains in biology, next year we should see even more sizeable advances. The sequencing of the human genome is now seven years old, but now we're witnessing new genetic discoveries almost daily. Genes that cause disease and fight disease are being identified and sized up by scientists around the globe. Stem cell research has made great strides and we've seen the first steps taken toward creating artificial life.

With a considerable amount of momentum, we're likely to take a few more baby steps in the direction of personalized medicine on the public level, with big strides seen in the clinic. For developers, the trend can only be ignored at their own risk. New therapies in the clinic more and more often will be tied to a genetic test.

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