DNA sequence information is critical to understanding genetic variations, which can influence disease and genetic interactions, which can influence drug efficacy. As such, automated sequencers play a vital role in the drug discovery process. The use of sequencers in drug discovery has expanded beyond simply decoding genomes to understanding cellular messages in the hopes of developing novel drug compounds. The investigation of end-user needs in DNA Sequencing can be leveraged across several product categories with the goals of developing better products and expanding market penetration. To this end, the survey data has been placed in context by cross-tabulating it with the responses to an initial 14-question survey designed to provide baseline data on the nature of the respondent's drug discovery research. Included in these cross-tabulations are: the stage of research, type of research, disease targets, biological processes studied, and other related products and services used regularly. The results of the seven surveys conducted for this unique series of reports clearly show that past distinctions between the stages of drug discovery are diminishing. DNA Sequencing is structured to reflect the market's integration, while highlighting end-user problems that represent exciting market opportunities for life science suppliers. Report Highlights Along with a comprehensive overview of significant findings, DNA Sequencing contains detailed charts and graphs depicting the answers to all 31-survey questions and over 20 cross-tabulations. Below is a glimpse of the key findings derived from just a few of the survey questions: • 48% of respondents participating in this survey conduct the majority of their sequencing experiments using an on-site core facility or another lab at their company/institution. (Question 2)
• Respondents are using automated sequencers for a variety of applications other than DNA sequencing, with "mutation detection" (54%) being the most common. (Question 9)
• The most significant performance limitation/operational problem that respondents' labs experience when using automated DNA sequencing equipment is that the "average read length is too short"(21%). (Question 15)
• Applied Biosystems (ABI) (74%) was the company most frequently mentioned when the respondents were asked which company/supplier comes to mind when they think of automated DNA sequencers. (Question 18)
• Applied Biosystems (ABI) (53%) was also the company most frequently mentioned when the respondents were asked which company/supplier comes to mind when they think of DNA sequencing kits. (Question 27) (Electronic copy also includes 1 print copy) | 
