Understanding the mutational profile of a tumor can help to guide therapeutic options. Genomics has enabled the simultaneous analysis of multiple mutations across multiple genes, providing a comprehensive genomic profile of a given tumor. Listen to Dr. Rachel Sanborn of the Providence Cancer Institute explain how genomics technologies are empowering precision oncology.

Agriculture has sustained and enhanced human life for thousands of years, but a changing environment and expanding population is increasing demand for more productive and more sustainable farming. Listen to Dr. Andrzej Kilian of Diversity Arrays Technology describe how NGS-based genotyping is helping to develop more sustainable agriculture practices.

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death around the world, and 38% people will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives. Listen to Dr. Ramanuj DasGupta and Dr. Shumei Chia of the Genome Institute of Singapore describe how patient-derived tumor models and NGS can combine to offer new insights in precision oncology.

Sepsis is a serious medical condition typically caused by a bloodstream infection. The World Health Organization estimates that sepsis affects 30 million people worldwide every year, leading to 6 million deaths. Listen to Jean-François Brepson of PathoQuest discuss the challenges in infectious disease diagnostics and how NGS technology can improve pathogen detection and antibiotic stewardship.

To ensure global scientific benefit from genomics, we need a better understanding of human genetic diversity, yet some communities remain underrepresented in genetics studies. Listen to Professor Simon Easteal of the Australian National University explain how studying DNA in collaboration with Indigenous Australian communities can improve the health and well-being of Australia's First Peoples.

The average risk of miscarriage in a healthy woman is 10-25%, and risk increases with increasing maternal age. In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a set of technologies that can be used to overcome female or male infertility. Listen to Dr. Mark Bowman of Genea explain the science and technology behind IVF, and how next-generation sequencing can improve IVF through preimplantation genetic testing.

Genetic carrier screening is used to identify recessive mutations linked to genetic disorders. It can be performed for women and men who want to know if their future children might be at risk for genetic diseases. Listen to Zoe Milgrom of Eugene Labs discuss the technology and genetic counseling behind carrier screening.

The epigenome is the chemicals and proteins that bind DNA and regulate gene expression. Gene regulation, also called epigenetics, is critical for diseases like cancer. Dr. Susan Clark is Research Director of Genomics at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research. She’s an expert in the genomics of DNA methylation, and she joins me to discuss the role of epigenetics in human biology and cancer.

Tigers are apex predators in the wild and vital to maintaining biodiversity, but fewer than 3,000 tigers remain in areas of southeast Asia. Dr. Dibesh Karamcharya is Executive Director of the Center for Molecular Dynamics Nepal, and he joins me to explain how the Nepal Tiger Genome Project is helping scientists to better understand these amazing animals and to aid in their conservation.

Parents of children who suffer from a rare disease can sometimes find it difficult to find a diagnosis, sometimes spending years living in a diagnostic limbo land. Heather Renton is the executive officer of Syndromes Without A Name (SWAN) Australia, and she joined me to discuss her daughter’s rare disease and the impact of NGS-based testing on her and her family.