“…Discovery of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, which when mutated causes cystic fibrosis, is one classical example in that regard. It took years and many different laboratories to map, clone and finally sequence the gene (Beaudet et al, 1989, Duncan et al, 1988, Eiberg et al, 1985, Estivill et al, 1987, Kerem et al, 1989, Klinger et al, 1986, Knowlton et al, 1985, Mayo et al, 1980, Riordan et al, 1989, Rommens et al, 1989, Scambler et al, 1985, Tsui et al, 1985, Wainwright et al, 1986, Wainwright et al, 1985, Watkins et al, 1986, Zielenski et al, 1991) before the information became available for routine patient care. Upon completion of the human genome project with the resultant public dissemination of vast amounts of generated data, it became possible to imagine interrogating tens of thousands of genes for mutation detection or gene expression at the same time in an individual laboratory.…”