Archon X Prize

The Archon Genomics X Prize is doped with $ 10 million scientific competition of American X - Prize Foundation with the mission to decode the DNA of hundreds of over a hundred years particularly vigorous and healthy people. In addition to a substantial reduction in DNA sequencing costs with significant increase in the speed of analysis and very high accuracy and completeness of the competition will also provide insights into genetic features particularly healthy and long-lived people. The motto of the price 100 Over 100 (Eng. 100 100 ) refers to the selected for sequencing group of 100 100 -year-old man and the contents of the database with later their genomes deciphered.

In Germany gerontologist at the University of Heidelberg and scientists from the German Cancer Research Center and the University Hospital Heidelberg interact with.

Task

Technical Problem

In its final form, and the highest category ( Grand Prize ), a total cost of 10 million dollars for competitors is exposed in the competition,

  • Which the complete genome of a hundred people, so their complete DNA with their genetic information
  • In 30 days or less,
  • Each complete sequence can ( at least 98 %),
  • The error rate must be less than 1 error per 1,000,000 bases.
  • The cost per individual sequencing may not exceed $ 1,000.

As far as the competition is a genetic engineering competition with very high demands on speed, accuracy and cost.

Subject matter and objective

All teams that are participating in the competition will receive samples of the same 100 people.

These 100 people will be more than 100 -year-old people that still need to be very vigorous and in very good health. This will be evaluated 100 people by Thomas Perls, a gerontologist at the University of Boston.

Nominate for this selection may age researchers from the U.S., Australia, Italy, India, Japan, Spain and Germany:

  • More than 100 -year-old man,
  • Who are willing to put their genome samples for analysis of the DNA sequence and the publication of results voluntarily
  • And which are also available to answer questions about their life circumstances and their attitudes to life.

The selection of the 100 people from a larger pool to prevent, among other things, that a competitor can get the DNA in advance.

In that regard, the price provides the incentive for the creation of a database of 100 proven particularly well-functioning Gensätzen and to enable researchers to learn more about the genetic basis of health and longevity.

The data of 100 100 will be provided from 2014 by the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences ( USA) scientists from around the world.

Prices

The Grand Prize will be awarded according to the following criteria:

  • Achieved only a team meeting the demands of competition, it gets the $ 10 million alone.
  • When two teams all the requirements, we obtain the temporally first $ 7.5 million, the second $ 2,500,000.
  • Reaching three teams all targets, we obtain the first 7 million, the second 2 million and the third 1 million dollars from the prize money.

Creates a team meeting the complete task, category prizes can be earned. To obtain a price category, a team must set the 100 genomes in 30 days or less sequenced and a single sequencing may cost more than $ 10,000.

  • Completeness: The first team that sequenced the genomes of 100 with an error rate of no more than 1 error in 1,000,000 bases and creates at least 95 percent of the genetic material, gets dollars 5 million.
  • Accuracy: The first team to 100 genomes sequenced to 98 percent with an error rate of no more than 1 error per 100,000 bases, receives $ 3 million.
  • Haplotype Phasing: a team succeed the complete haplotype phasing of all chromosomes, it receives 1 million dollars.

Dates

The nomination opportunity to be selected for the 100 people ended on 31 December 2012. The deadline for contestants was 31 May 2012. Tickets cost $ 25,000. The sequencing to be held from September 5, 2013 to October 4, 2013.

Donors and supporters

Donated the prize money of Stewart Blusson, co-discoverer and co-owner of the Ekati diamond mine and chairman of the archon Minerals, and his wife Marilyn.

The competition is supported by the

9912
de