AP Photo

Whole genome sequencing, (also known as full genome sequencing, complete genome sequencing, or entire genome sequencing), is a laboratory process that maps a person’s complete genetic code. Because the data that is produced can be staggeringly large—there are approximately six billion base pairs in each human genome—genomic data crunching requires a large amount of computing power and storage capacity and can cost tens of thousands of dollars (down from more than a billion dollars a decade ago).