How鈥檚 this for scientific progress? The first telescope was invented in 1608. It took more than 400 years to reach the point where we can now see planets beyond our solar system. 鈥淚n biology, we made the equivalent leap of not being able to examine DNA at all to being able to look at all DNA in about 40 years,鈥� says 黑料吃瓜资源 (CSHL) educator .
Even better, today, your DNA can be sequenced with a device that fits in the palm of your hand. Williams showed how in the latest installment of Cocktails & Chromosomes, CSHL鈥檚 ongoing series of monthly science talks at Industry bar in Huntington, NY. And in perhaps the most literal interpretation of 鈥渃ocktails and chromosomes鈥� yet, Williams brought to the stage one of Industry鈥檚 artisanal drinks along with Oxford Nanopore Technologies鈥� portable genome sequencer.
Williams is assistant director of diversity and research readiness at CSHL鈥檚 (DNALC). As he points out, DNALC students get to study human DNA using the same tools as CSHL scientists. But here, Williams set the sequencer鈥檚 sights on a different subject鈥攂rewer鈥檚 yeast. 鈥淏ecause in a bar, what would you sequence except for some yeast DNA?鈥� he quipped.
Press play to see how it works. And sign up now for the February edition of Cocktails & Chromosomes. CSHL chemist John Moses will join us on February 29 to discuss molecules that changed the world.