https://vishakh.blog/2025/07/08/using-mpc-for-anonymous-and-...
If you look at a previous experiment we did, the costs for getting genotyped are pretty moderate (<$80) and going down further. Blended genome-exome (<$150) and full genome sequencing (<$500) are getting cheaper as well.
Through our Explorer product (https://explorer.monadicdna.com/) we let people glean information about their genome using GWAS Catalog data.
This PoC addresses the next step, i.e. how to keep genetic data private at the user level while still allowing aggregate studies to happen, with or without financial incentives.
$599 for 30x coverage sequencing of any whole genome: https://www.the-odin.com/whole-genome-sequencing-30x/
Or purchase the equipment you need to DIY.
The actual instruments used by that company are a whole lot more expensive, and you have to buy reagents as well: https://www.machinio.com/illumina/dna-sequencers
We plan to roll out a product called Batcher which does this soon.
Sounds about right to me
and the government funds that kind of stuff even. so what's wrong with a private person doing it?
Thank you vishakh82 for sharing.
It's great seeing folks apply PETs to key problems, no matter how theoretical they might seem now as evidenced by the comments. PoCs like this are steps in the right direction to make such work and ideas practical.
If any of you are looking to try out Stoffel, you can check out our docs at docs.stoffelmpc.com or go to our github repo: https://github.com/Stoffel-Labs/stoffel
I'm curious what the author means by "asking participants to upload ... their DNA", because I am not aware of any study that asked participants to do that.
If we can enable people to get sequenced not just when they are sick but for altruistic or financial reasons without leaking their DNA data, we could unlock much bigger datasets than currently available, especially from populations that are underrepresented or ignored.
Let people benefit from DNA data analysis without the data leaving their device or sphere of control.
Let people monetize their genetic data without compromising their security.
let's say i recorded a video of the ENTIRE end user experience of (A) collecting the genomics data with your solution (B) using an existing solution. which scene in the video would be different?
see, the problem is, not a single scene would be different.
We’re focusing on an incremental improvement.
There are people actively working on private home sequencing, at home analysis devices, etc and they’re best placed to do it.
We’re trying to get ahead of a near future where people, implicitly or explicitly, are paid for their genetic data in insecure or exploitative ways.
all the value is in the analysis and sharing.
define insecure or exploitative. it is a very shallow argument to say, iNsUrAnCe cOmPaNiEs - genomic data harvested by insurance companies will never benefit the consumer, but we already have laws against that scenario, the technology doesn't really matter. or the narrow situation with, something something, medical research derived from tissues and the tissue-donators not given a just compensation? i don't know if that's exploitative. and people are already walking, insecure DNA-donators. you are surrounded by easily deanonymized DNA samples everywhere you walk right now...