23andMe - Sharing Your Genome Online

Paul Kim

https://www.23andme.com/

This Silicon Valley startup seeks to have people submit DNA samples online, which would then generate a report that uncovers possible risks for genetic diseases. On one hand, this is simply an interesting piece of personal information that can be bought for $399; however, their is a broader goal here. They are taking the idea of crowdsourcing and applying it to sensitive information, hoping that it will lead to breakthroughs in the discovery of cures for diseases.

Use Case: Finding a Cure
Sergey Brin is a high-profile example of someone who is actually putting this service to use, but the actor could be anyone who is interested in learning more about their genetic composition, particularly as it relates to their predisposition for disease. In Brin's case, he is disclosing his genetic information with the hope that it will lead to new ideas for a cure to Parkinson's disease, to which he is susceptible.

Standards
23andMe is big on the use of standards, not just in database management, but also in the clinical testing portion of their service (https://www.23andme.com/more/science/)