"Steve Jobs of biotechnology" hopes to bring DNA sequencing to the masses.On the front page of its Business Day section, the New York Times (1/5, B1, Pollack) reports that Ion Torrent founder "Jonathan M. Rothberg fancies himself the Steve Jobs of biotechnology," and he "wants to do for DNA sequencing what Mr. Jobs did for computing -- spread it to the masses." The majority of "sequencers cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and are at least the size of small refrigerators," but Ion's new "machine sells for just under $50,000 and is the size of a largish desktop printer." Thus, the "machine could expand the use of DNA sequencing from specialized centers to smaller university and industrial labs, and into hospitals and doctors' offices." But some experts "think Dr. Rothberg is overselling his machine," saying that "like the early Apple II of Mr. Jobs, it is too puny for many tasks, including sequencing the entire genome of a person."
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