Draft, not yet released. In stewardship review. Not indexed until the first approved release.

Genomics is data infrastructure and a therapeutic frontier

Part I describes systems and their couplings. It ranks no country or operator and assesses no authority.

8 min read2 figures1 table22 notesNR-XTECH-GENOMICS-GLOBAL-2026-BASELINE

Contents
  1. ·Edition home
  2. ·Executive summary
  3. 1Genomics is data infrastructure and a therapeutic frontier
    1. 1.1 The questions this part answers
    2. 1.2 The argument
    3. 1.3 Twenty couplings between five systems
  4. 2Key findings
  5. 3Systems and sectors at baseline
  6. 4Risks and capability
  7. 5Individualised editing outpaces delivery systems
  8. 6Readings from the other desks
  9. 7The 2027 agenda
  10. 8Systems in depth
  11. AMethodology
  12. BData appendix
  13. CReferences and record
  14. ·Complete edition, for print

1.1The questions this part answers

Key questions

  • Where is genomics risk concentrated?
  • Which couplings carry genomics shocks into other systems?
  • Which genomics capabilities hold under compound stress?
  • What must 2027 evidence measure first?

In this part

  • Narrative
  • Headline finding
  • Lead figure
  • Five footprint and governance chapters
  • Twelve-domain reading
  • Sector screens
  • Dependency matrix
  • Risk objects
  • Capability ladder
  • Scenario
  • Three lenses
  • Portfolio

1.2The argument

Genomics is often told as a story of falling cost. The 2026 evidence reads it as two things at once: a data and hardware infrastructure of sequencers, reference genomes and biobanks, and a therapeutic technology whose first products now reach patients11161.

The therapy evidence is strong for one family. In two phase 3 studies, 97% of evaluable sickle cell patients and 91% of evaluable thalassaemia patients met the primary end point23. One infant received a patient-specific base editor in 20254. These are results at short follow-up, not a settled safety record910.

The data evidence is practical. A complete genome sequence of 3.055 billion base pairs exists11, a draft pangenome adds 119 million base pairs12, and two biobanks hold hundreds of thousands of genomes1617. Most genetic studies still rest on European ancestry1819.

The physical and legal base is the least measured part. Vendor pages claim low sequencing prices1415, the energy footprint of sequencing is unpublished, compute has a carbon footprint21, and trade rules changed sequencer supply in 20253031.

Figure 1.1How much sequence did the two reference releases add? Million base pairs

Both releases added sequence to the earlier reference. The two figures are measured against the same earlier reference but with different methods, so they are not additive1112.

ItemBar, scaled to the largest valueValue
T2T-CHM13 (2022): nearly 200 million base pairs of new sequence200
Draft pangenome (2023): 119 million base pairs of added polymorphic sequence119

Source: as cited in the note to this figure. Year 2023.

Figure ID FIG-XTECH-GENOMICS-GLOBAL-2026-BASELINE-01-003

3.055billion bp

T2T-CHM13 sequence, 202211

≈200million bp

new sequence in T2T-CHM1311

119million bp

added in the draft pangenome12

47assemblies

phased diploid assemblies in the draft pangenome12

1.3Twenty couplings between five systems

The genomics-centred matrix types the twenty couplings between the five core systems, read for their genomics content. Strengths are Nexus estimates (ESTIMATED) from the cited evidence and analogue events; they set the graph that 2027 evidence will test.

Figure 1.2Couplings between the five systems

Each line is one coupling from one system to another, drawn by the strength the edition assigns. Strengths are Nexus estimates from the cited evidence and analogue events.

  • Strong
  • Moderate
  • Weak

Source: this edition’s coupling matrix (Table 1.1); status Estimated.

Table 1.1Coupling matrix: from the row system to the column system
From, toWATENEFOOHLTBIO
WAT Water·WEAK
no documented link		WEAK
no documented link		WEAK
no documented link		WEAK
no documented link
ENE EnergyWEAK
no documented link		·WEAK
no documented link		WEAK
compute and cold chain power		WEAK
no documented link
FOO FoodWEAK
no documented link		WEAK
no documented link		·WEAK
no documented link		WEAK
no documented link
HLT HealthWEAK
no documented link		WEAK
clinic and laboratory load		WEAK
no documented link		·MODERATE
genome data and therapy outcomes
BIO BiodiversityWEAK
no documented link		WEAK
no documented link		MODERATE
edited plants under new rules		MODERATE
genome variation and disease		·
Strength: strong, moderate or weak; a Nexus estimate (status Estimated) from cited evidence and analogue events. The scale is defined in Annex A.

Transmission paths

  1. 01

    DAT → HLT

    Reference genomes and biobanks inform diagnosis and therapy targets.

    Inferred T2T, UK Biobank and All of Us111617

  2. 02

    TRD → INF

    Trade rules change sequencer supply.

    Reported Illumina China bans and BIOSECURE3031

  3. 03

    FIN → HLT

    Payment and manufacturing capacity limit therapy access.

    Reported cost-effectiveness analysis and company report67

  4. 04

    ENE → INF

    Compute and cold chain power shape the cost of scale.

    Inferred carbon footprint studies2122

  5. 05

    GOV → HLT

    Approval pathways and heritable-editing limits set what reaches patients.

    Reported FDA and Third Summit1528

Notes

Numbers are the edition’s reference numbers, so a note reads the same in every chapter. The full list, with every source and its licence, is in Annex C. Annex C, references

  1. 11Nurk, S. et al., The complete sequence of a human genome, Science 2022 (abstract read through the Europe PMC record; 3.055 billion base pairs; nearly 200 million base pairs of new sequence). American Association for the Advancement of Science, Washington. Observation year 2022. Accessed 2026-11-03.back
  2. 16UK Biobank Whole-Genome Sequencing Consortium, Whole-genome sequencing of 490,640 UK Biobank participants, Nature 2025 (abstract read through the Europe PMC record). Springer Nature, London. Observation year 2025. Accessed 2026-11-03.back
  3. 1US Food and Drug Administration (ed.), FDA approves first gene therapies to treat patients with sickle cell disease (press announcement, 8 December 2023; Casgevy uses CRISPR/Cas9, Lyfgenia a lentiviral vector; patients 12 years and older). FDA, Silver Spring. Observation year 2023. Accessed 2026-11-03.back
  4. 2Frangoul, H. et al., Exagamglogene Autotemcel for Severe Sickle Cell Disease, New England Journal of Medicine 2024 (abstract read through the Europe PMC record; 44 treated, 30 evaluable, 29 free of crises for 12 months or more). Massachusetts Medical Society, Waltham. Observation year 2024. Accessed 2026-11-03.back
  5. 3Locatelli, F. et al., Exagamglogene Autotemcel for Transfusion-Dependent beta-Thalassemia, New England Journal of Medicine 2024 (abstract read through the Europe PMC record; 52 treated, 35 evaluable, 32 transfusion independent). Massachusetts Medical Society, Waltham. Observation year 2024. Accessed 2026-11-03.back
  6. 4Musunuru, K. et al., Patient-Specific In Vivo Gene Editing to Treat a Rare Genetic Disease, New England Journal of Medicine 2025 (abstract read through the Europe PMC record; one infant, two infusions at about 7 and 8 months of age). Massachusetts Medical Society, Waltham. Observation year 2025. Accessed 2026-11-03.back
  7. 9BioSpace (ed.), Life-threatening liver toxicity triggers FDA freeze on two Intellia gene therapy studies (trade press, 30 October 2025; relays company disclosures; secondary report, weak evidence). BioSpace, Boston. Observation year 2025. Accessed 2026-11-03.back
  8. 10Lek, A. et al., Death after High-Dose rAAV9 Gene Therapy in a Patient with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, New England Journal of Medicine 2023 (abstract read through the Europe PMC record). Massachusetts Medical Society, Waltham. Observation year 2023. Accessed 2026-11-03.back
  9. 12Liao, W.-W. et al. (Human Pangenome Reference Consortium), A draft human pangenome reference, Nature 2023 (abstract read through the Europe PMC record; 47 phased diploid assemblies; 119 million base pairs added). Springer Nature, London. Observation year 2023. Accessed 2026-11-03.back
  10. 17All of Us Research Program Genomics Investigators, Genomic data in the All of Us Research Program, Nature 2024 (abstract read through the Europe PMC record; 245,388 genomes; 77% from communities under-represented in research). Springer Nature, London. Observation year 2024. Accessed 2026-11-03.back
  11. 18Fatumo, S. et al., A roadmap to increase diversity in genomic studies, Nature Medicine 2022 (abstract read through the Europe PMC record). Springer Nature, London. Observation year 2022. Accessed 2026-11-03.back
  12. 19Sirugo, G., Williams, S.M. and Tishkoff, S.A., The Missing Diversity in Human Genetic Studies, Cell 2019 (abstract read through the Europe PMC record). Cell Press, Cambridge. Observation year 2019. Accessed 2026-11-03.back
  13. 14Illumina (ed.), NovaSeq X Series product page (vendor claims: 16 to 21 Tb per run for NovaSeq X Plus, more than 128 genomes per run, run time about 14 to 48 hours; vendor evidence, weak). Illumina, San Diego. Observation year 2026. Accessed 2026-11-03.back
  14. 15Ultima Genomics (ed.), germline genetics product page (vendor claim of a USD 60 genome at list price over 4 wafers on the UG200 series; the browser title reads USD 80; vendor evidence, weak). Ultima Genomics, Newark. Observation year 2026. Accessed 2026-11-03.back
  15. 21Grealey, J. et al., The Carbon Footprint of Bioinformatics, Molecular Biology and Evolution 2022 (abstract read through the Europe PMC record; a software upgrade cut one tool footprint by 73%). Oxford University Press, Oxford. Observation year 2022. Accessed 2026-11-03.back
  16. 30Latham and Watkins (ed.), BIOSECURE Act becomes law, limiting grants with biotechnology companies of concern (law-firm summary; enacted 18 December 2025 in the FY2026 NDAA; OMB list due by 18 December 2026; secondary source of a statute). Latham and Watkins, Los Angeles. Observation year 2025. Accessed 2026-11-03.back
  17. 31MedTech Dive (ed.), China to lift Illumina export ban (trade press, November 2025; listing in February 2025, import ban in March 2025, lift on 10 November 2025, instrument sales in China down 54% in the third quarter; secondary report, weak evidence). Industry Dive, Washington. Observation year 2025. Accessed 2026-11-03.back
  18. 6Vertex Pharmaceuticals (ed.), Vertex Reports First Quarter 2026 Financial Results (company press release read through a wire page; Casgevy revenue USD 42.9 million against USD 14.2 million; pediatric submission completed; company statement, weak evidence). Vertex, Boston. Observation year 2026. Accessed 2026-11-03.back
  19. 7Chetlapalli, K. et al., Haploidentical transplant, gene therapy, and standard care in sickle cell disease: a cost-effectiveness analysis, Blood 2026 (abstract read through the Europe PMC record; gene therapy access limited by cost and manufacturing capacity). American Society of Hematology, Washington. Observation year 2026. Accessed 2026-11-03.back
  20. 22Lannelongue, L., Grealey, J. and Inouye, M., Green Algorithms: Quantifying the Carbon Footprint of Computation, Advanced Science 2021 (abstract read through the Europe PMC record). Wiley, Weinheim. Observation year 2021. Accessed 2026-11-03.back
  21. 5Clinical Trials Arena (ed.), FDA unveils new pathway to usher bespoke therapies to market (trade press, 13 November 2025; describes the plausible mechanism pathway announced in a journal article by the FDA Commissioner and the CBER Director; secondary report, weak evidence). Clinical Trials Arena, London. Observation year 2025. Accessed 2026-11-03.back
  22. 28Royal Society (ed.), Statement from the Organising Committee of the Third International Summit on Human Genome Editing (8 March 2023; convened by the Royal Society, the Academy of Medical Sciences, the US National Academies and The World Academy of Sciences). Royal Society, London. Observation year 2023. Accessed 2026-11-03.back

Cite this chapter

Valadbaygi, S. (Ed.). (2026). Chapter 1: Genomics is data infrastructure and a therapeutic frontier. In Exponential Technology Report 2026: Genomics and Gene Editing (Baseline Edition 2026, Report No. NR-XTECH-GENOMICS-GLOBAL-2026-BASELINE) [Draft under review]. The Global Centre for Risk and Innovation (GCRI).

Every citation form of the whole report, BibTeX and RIS included, is on the edition home. Cite this report

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