[matthew_stone]

> Once automated/easy/rapid sample prep comes, there will be mass adoption in the space.

Sounds like Elon calling biology a “software problem”.

Not saying that you’re wrong, just saying that the computational folk tend to discount the challenges and skills required in the wet lab.

[samchorlton]

Agreed - Definitely a different class of problem than "software". There are large barriers, eg. lab contamination, biocontainment, low input protocols, etc; however, technological innovation will help with these.

That being said, we see a future where someone without advanced molecular training can put a sample (whether that's a nasal swab, concerning white powder received in the mail or lab-grown meat) in a black box and get out a meaningful report.

[phkahler]

>> Not saying that you’re wrong, just saying that the computational folk tend to discount the challenges and skills required in the wet lab.

It's time to bring in the industrial automation folks. They probably won't invent a fancy new algorithm to reduce the time to splice the pieces together, but they'll fine tune and automate your reader to the 9's.

[exikyut]

Question: a majority of software environments will take on individuals without traditional qualifications, throw a dozen books' exam sections at them, and keep those who can hack it.

I just realized industrial automation sounds really interesting. What would my chances be for someone who never got the chance to study math?

(Basically in 1998 it was illegal to change schools in Australia regardless of how much of an eyebrow-raising situation you might've been in. Had to homeschool, without any resources. Only realized ~20 years on just how much opportunity I'll never get back.)

(Heh, I'm pretty much expecting the only obvious possible answer at this point, I was just curious if the answer is "yeah no" or "it depends".)