High Throughput Sequencing
High Throughput Sequencing (HTS) is a set of technologies that enable rapid, large-scale sequencing of DNA or RNA molecules, generating millions to billions of short reads in parallel. It revolutionized genomics by drastically reducing the cost and time required for sequencing entire genomes, transcriptomes, or targeted regions. Common platforms include Illumina, Oxford Nanopore, and PacBio, each with distinct methodologies for base calling and read generation.
Developers should learn HTS when working in bioinformatics, computational biology, or healthcare data science, as it underpins modern genomic research, clinical diagnostics, and personalized medicine. It's essential for analyzing genetic variations, gene expression, epigenetic modifications, and microbial communities, with applications in cancer genomics, infectious disease tracking, and agricultural biotechnology. Proficiency in HTS data processing is crucial for developing pipelines that handle raw sequencing data, perform quality control, and generate actionable insights.