Selected reporting and commentary from The Next Generation Technologist (2012-2024), covering life science technology, scientific conferences, and the companies bringing new tools into laboratory use. New writing at First Light.
The full archive contains approximately 150 posts. The selections below are organized by conference and by topic to make sustained coverage threads visible.
Conference Coverage
Sustained reporting from the major scientific meetings of the field across 2012 through 2023.
AGBT (Advances in Genome Biology and Technology)
2013
2014
- Post-AGBT 2014 Thoughts & Jeffrey Schloss’ Plenary Talk (NHGRI)
- Oxford Nanopore at AGBT 2014
- A favorite talk at AGBT 2014 — Gene Myers (Max Planck Dresden)
- Gen Cell Biosystems’ CLiC NGS Library liquid handler at AGBT 2014
2017
2018
- NanoString’s Digital Spatial Profiling Microscope at #AGBT18
- Highlights from the #AGBT18 Advances in Genome Biology and Technology Orlando Florida
- NanoString’s Hyb & Seq Single Molecule Sequencer at #AGBT18
- Illumina’s iSeq 100 at #AGBT18
- Bionano Genomics’ New DLS Saphyr Technology at #AGBT18
2019
- AGBT19 Advances in Genome Biology and Technology Preview
- The early days of spatial genomics at #AGBT19
- The age of mRNA isoform discovery at #AGBT19
- MGI Closes out #AGBT19 with a MGISEQ-T7 splash
- The Long Read Club at #AGBT19
- The world’s first complete chromosome sequence at #AGBT19
- Space travel to Mars at #AGBT19
- Agilent Magnis NGS Prep System library automation – a pleasant surprise at #AGBT19
ASHG (American Society of Human Genetics)
2012
- Oxford Nanopore and commercialization at ASHG 2012
- BioNano Genomics explores Copy Number Variation at ASHG 2012
- Single Molecule mapping OpGen making slow progress at ASHG 2012
2013
- Update from BioNano Genomics at #ASHG2013
- Ion Chef, PII Chip, Isothermal Template Prep and a new Hi-Q Enzyme at Ion World 2013 (before ASHG 2013)
- Formulatrix and an inexpensive digital PCR for NGS library quantitation at ASHG 2013
- Next-Generation Sequencer GnuBIO at ASHG 2013
2018
- Dolomite Bio – Drop-Seq for single-cell genomics at ASHG 2018
- Looking for new circulating biomarker signals with new technology at ASHG 2018
- Detecting cancer four years before conventional diagnosis at ASHG 2018
- Nabsys 2.0 Single Molecule Mapping at ASHG 2018
AACR (American Association for Cancer Research)
2014
- Elana Simon at the American Association for Cancer Research AACR 2014
- Steven Rosenberg and T-Cell Immunotherapy for Cancer at AACR 2014
- Dana Pe’er, Garry Noland and single-cell proteomics at AACR 2014
2015
2018
2019
- Akoya Biosciences and Berkeley Lights debut at American Association for Cancer Research 2019 #AACR19
- Miltenyi MACSima Imaging and Arima Genomics debut at the American Association for Cancer Research 2019 #AACR19
- Single-cell companies Mission Bio and Celsee Inc. at American Association for Cancer Research 2019 #AACR19
AMP (Association for Molecular Pathology)
2015
2017
- Preview of Association for Molecular Pathology 2017 #AMP2017
- Pillar Biosciences at Association for Molecular Pathology (Video Interview) #AMP2017
- Thoughts from the Association for Molecular Pathology conference #AMP2017
Other Meetings
- My notes from George Church’s plenary talk at ABRF 2012
- Genia (nanopore sequencing company) presents at ABRF 2012
- The Ion Torrent Proton at Ion World 2012
- Notes from the NCI’s Third Symposium on Translational Genomics 2014
- New Cepheid GeneXpert Omni at #AACC2015
- BGISEQ-500 Debuts at the International Congress of Genomics 10 2015
- Ion GeneStudio S5: The latest iteration of Thermo Fisher Scientific NGS (JP Morgan 2018)
Topical Coverage
The section below includes multiple posts where coverage clustered around specific topics or technologies.
COVID Pandemic Coverage
- A hopeful cure for SARS-CoV-2 with a combination of drugs (March 2020)
- The need for a good antibody test for SARS-CoV-2 (March 2020)
- A list of helpful SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 links (March 2020)
- Reasons for SARS-CoV-2 optimism and a COVID-19 infographic (March 2020)
- The first antibody test for SARS-CoV-2 in the US (April 2020)
- Serological testing in Germany shows resistance to coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 at 14 percent (April 2020)
- NIH starts serological survey testing anti-SARS-CoV-2 among the US population (April 2020)
- Notes about asymptomatic spread of SARS-CoV-2 (April 2020)
- Study suggests SARS-CoV-2 exposure is 50 to 85 times the COVID-19 cases in Santa Clara (April 2020)
- rRT-PCR and Seroconversion of SARS-CoV-2 in Nine COVID-19 patients (April 2020)
- Asymptomatic Transmission: The Achilles’ Heel (April 2020)
- Sherlock Bio gets Emergency Use Authorization for CRISPR-based Diagnostics of SARS-CoV-2 (May 2020)
- BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card is the Beginning of the End (August 2020)
- DxTerity COVID-19 saliva test for home or employer collection (January 2021)
NGS Primer Series (2012)
A seven-part introduction to next-generation sequencing fundamentals, published as a series in May through June 2012.
- Next-Generation Sequencing – its historical context (May 2012)
- Next Generation Sequencing – A Few Fundamental Concepts (June 2012)
- Next Generation Sequencing – Library Preparation (June 2012)
- Next Generation Sequencing – Template Preparation (June 2012)
- Next Generation Sequencing – Sequencing by Pyrophosphate Release (June 2012)
- Next Generation Sequencing – Sequencing by Reversible Terminators (June 2012)
- Next Generation Sequencing – Sequencing by Ligation (June 2012)
Helicos Single Molecule Sequencing (2012, 2023)
- Helicos Single Molecule Sequencing – A Pioneer (June 2012)
- Observations about Helicos, a single molecule sequencer from 2008 (September 2023)
Cancer Immunotherapy (2017)
Multi-part analysis of the clinical impact and market dynamics of early cancer immunotherapy development.
- The immune system and cancer immunotherapy (May 2017)
- Cancer immunotherapy and a clinical trial dilemma (May 2017)
- Cancer immunotherapy combination trials and a failure of the free market (June 2017)
Oxford Nanopore Coverage (2012-2019)
Tracking Oxford Nanopore Technologies from early commercialization through platform maturation.
- What’s so special about single molecule sequencing? (June 2012)
- Oxford Nanopore, the first nanopore-based sequencing technology (July 2012)
- Oxford Nanopore and commercialization at ASHG 2012 (November 2012)
- Measuring Nanopore Signals – a Practical Challenge for DNA Sequencing (August 2012)
- Oxford Nanopore at AGBT 2014 (February 2014)
- A few observations from Advances in Genome Biology and Technology (March 2015)
Digital PCR (2012-2017)
Coverage of the digital PCR market across multiple platforms and years, including QuantStudio (TMO), RainDance Technologies, Formulatrix (QIAGEN), SlipChip.
- Digital PCR – a research market poised to grow (May 2012)
- A busy tradeshow season and 1 in a million PCR sensitivity (September 2012)
- The new QuantStudio 3D digital PCR instrument (October 2013)
- Formulatrix and an inexpensive digital PCR for NGS library quantitation (October 2013)
- SlipChip technology for digital PCR (August 2017)
- Formulatrix Constellation Digital PCR (October 2017)
Single Cell & Spatial Biology (2018-2024)
Coverage of single-cell and spatial biology as the categories emerged
- NanoString’s Digital Spatial Profiling Microscope at #AGBT18 (February 2018)
- Dolomite Bio – Drop-Seq for single-cell genomics at ASHG 2018 (February 2019)
- The early days of spatial genomics at #AGBT19 (March 2019)
- Akoya Biosciences and Berkeley Lights debut at American Association for Cancer Research 2019 #AACR19 (April 2019)
- Miltenyi MACSima Imaging and Arima Genomics debut at the American Association for Cancer Research 2019 #AACR19 (April 2019)
- Single-cell companies Mission Bio and Celsee Inc. at American Association for Cancer Research 2019 #AACR19 (April 2019)
- Single-cell interaction technology from Scribe Biosciences (February 2022)
- High Throughput Single Cell Morphology from Deepcell (March 2024, Silent Valley Consulting)
Proteomics (2021-2024)
Coverage of high-plex proteomics platforms and the integration of proteomics with genomics. Posts from this period overlap with employment at Olink Proteomics (2021-2023).
- A new proteomic instrument: The Olink Signature Q100 (June 2021)
- Discovery of a novel mechanism unique to severe COVID leads to a potential treatment (March 2022)
- Combining genomics with proteomics opens a new era of discovery (March 2022)
- The UK Biobank – a veritable fountain of discovery (March 2022)
- Proteomics in Proximity: Co-Hosting a New Podcast (September 2022)
The Cost and Throughput Economics of Genomics (2012-2023)
Coverage of the sequencing cost curves, throughput evolution, and market consolidation across a decade.
- Sequencing equipment provider Pacific Biosciences (PACB) and the rate of change (March 2012)
- What’s so special about a $1,000 genome? (June 2012)
- Complete Genomics and the Whole Genome Sequencing market (June 2012)
- The end in sight for Complete Genomics by merging with BGI (September 2012)
- Readlengths do matter in Next Generation Sequencing (October 2012)
- A 2022 NGS Cost and Throughput Comparison (March 2022)
- High Throughput NGS Systems: Throughput, Time and Cost Graphic (September 2023, Silent Valley Consulting)
- NGS Company Infographic (October 2023, Silent Valley Consulting)
- The Unmet Needs of Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) (September 2023, Silent Valley Consulting)