DNA analysis of this type can now be achieved more rapidly and cheaply than in the past. That means patients can better understand their biggest health vulnerabilities, and doctors can better pinpoint the most effective treatments on a case-by-case basis.
By integrating revolutionary approaches to genetic testing with cloud hosting and artificial intelligence, drug firms are now able to release medications more quickly, and the pharmaceuticals are more likely to be effective.
It's no exaggeration that these technologies are saving lives. Take Eric Dishman, for instance. At 19, Eric found out that he had a virtually unknown form of kidney cancer. For more than two decades, he was essentially a guinea pig. None of the therapies that were attempted seemed to work. Finally, he had the opportunity to get his genome sequenced. Using the sequence, researchers were able to zero in on the gene that was the root source of the cancer, leading his physicians to the correct medications.
The entire process to identify what drugs would work best for Dishman lasted the better part of a year – three months for specialists to look at his genetic information, plus four months to put his genome up against others with kidney cancer throughout the country for a broader set of data.
After 23 years of looking for a cure for his cancer, seven months was a drop in the bucket. However, Dishman was growing impatient and didn't want others in his position to have to go through the same long wait. That's why he helped create the Collaborative Cancer Cloud, a project sponsored in part by the Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU).
The idea behind this initiative is to expedite the rise of what's called precision medicine. The CCC allows partner organizations, such as cancer clinics and universities, to exchange and compare sequences, medical files, and lab information in a safe setting so that people are likelier to beat cancer before it takes their lives.
The idea behind the Collaborative Cancer Cloud is to open up all of the information to researchers and practitioners so that they can deliver the most suitable treatments to each person. That's achieved by looking at how people with certain genetic sequences have responded to various drugs in the past.
None of the data contains any personally identifiable details, so it's HIPAA-compliant; and all of the data that is sent is encrypted.
As of April 19, 2016, OHSU is collaborating with two other cancer research hospitals in the United States. The goal is to eventually expand the project internationally. Plus, the project doesn't necessarily have to be limited to cancer but could eventually be used to find solutions for other serious illnesses, including muscular dystrophy.
As indicated by the fact that cloud computing is actually saving lives, the potential with this technology is enormous. How might cloud be able to benefit your customers and your business?
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