3rd Kyoto Prize Symposium [Biotechnology and Medical Technology] Craig Venter

3rd Kyoto University-Inamori Foundation Joint Kyoto Prize Symposium
http://kuip.hq.kyoto-u.ac.jp/
https://ocw.kyoto-u.ac.jp/en/opencourse-en/158

July 9, 2016
[Biotechnology and Medical Technology]
J. Craig Venter
Human Longevity, Inc. / J. Craig Venter Institute / Synthetic Genomics, Inc. / Doctor

Title of Presentation
“Human Genomics and the Future of Medicine”

In 1995 J. Craig Venter, Ph.D. and team at the Venter Institute sequenced the first genome in history followed five years later when Celera Genomics published the first draft human genome which was a composite of five individual’s genomes. In 2007 he and his team at the J. Craig Venter Institute published the first complete diploid human genome, which was his genome. While these genomes were an important starting point for research, they were not enough to change health care. We need hundreds of thousands to have their own genome sequenced and done so at a complete and accurate level to have sufficient data to interpret the genome. Cost was prohibitive and the technology was not yet robust enough in 2007 to make this a reality. However, three years ago this changed with the advent of new sequencing technology and improved bioinformatics and machine learning tools.

In 2013, Dr. Venter co-founded Human Longevity, Inc. (HLI) to better understand the human genome by sequencing tens of thousands of genomes and combining the sequence data with clinical data and phenotype data. In his lecture Dr. Venter will discuss what has happened since the early days of genomics and how he and his team are now working toward their goal of revolutionizing the practice of medicine, changing it from a reactive state to a proactive-preventive state.

HLI is building the world’s largest and most comprehensive database of whole genome, phenotype and clinical data. The company is developing and applying large-scale computing and machine learning to make novel discoveries and change the way we diagnose and treat disease. These combined datasets is called the HLI Knowledgebase™, which is a tool that can lead to new discoveries in genomic-based medicine. Currently there are more than 25,000 complete genomes with associated phenotypic data in the database and the company is building toward 1 million integrated health records by 2020. The Knowledgebase will enable pharmaceutical companies, insurers and healthcare providers to impact and improve health—helping to develop therapeutic solutions to some of the most complex yet actionable diseases, including cancer, diabetes and obesity, heart and liver diseases, and dementia.

Dr. Venter and his team are infusing genomics into the foundation of the practice of medicine in a new platform called the Health Nucleus, a state-of-the-art, freestanding health center where individuals receive a complete biological and health assessment of themselves through genome, microbiome, metabolome sequencing, along with comprehensive MRI body scans and other more traditional clinical testing. This unique health assessment gives individuals the opportunity to learn more about themselves and their health than ever before. There should also be an eventual cost-savings–life savings, as diseases are either prevented or caught earlier before they progress.

We are discovering life-altering diseases in 30 percent to 40 percent of apparently healthy individuals going through the Health Nucleus. These discoveries range from early-stage tumors including brain tumors, to aneurisms, polycystic liver and kidney disease. Early-stage tumors are completely curable before they invade tissues and spread to other areas. Aneurysms are all treatable, but can cause sudden death if they are not identified. These are just a few examples of health issues that Dr. Venter will outline in his wide ranging and engaging lecture which will provide evidence that more monitoring and data about you is better than less.