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Decades of discovery science set to revolutionise healthcare (PDF)
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This report presents a case study showcasing the impact of discovery science on public health and well-being using nanopore sequencing as an example.
Curiosity-driven discovery science provides the fertile ground upon which novel technologies for improving human health are developed; historical examples include the development of MRI for imaging, or radiotherapy for treating cancer.
Similarly, the foundations of nanopore sequencing, a novel technology with applications in healthcare, were established via decades of interdisciplinary discovery science and now have been successfully translated into practice through industry research and development.
The development of nanopore sequencing is a powerful example of how a myriad of discovery science breakthroughs, funded by MRC and others, was successfully translated to deliver widespread societal impact.
This technology enables hospitals, GP surgeries, or rural clinics to offer genetic sequencing ‘by the bedside’.
Nanopore sequencing represents a paradigm shift in genomics targeted for population health.