Genomics England have promised that they will sequence 100,000 genomes by 2017 a first step towards a future where we all have our genome sequenced, using the information to reduce our risk of disease. This prospect was brought into sharp focus in 2013 by Angelina Jolie’s public account of choosing a double mastectomy after finding she inherited an unusually high genetic risk of breast cancer.

But are we ready to deal with all this genetic data? Considerable expertise is required in order to successfully analyse and interpret all the data. The bioinformaticians that can do this are an increasingly valuable asset.

Commercially available genetic analysis services diverge in their diagnosis of risks, reflecting uncertainties in the underlying science. Even where the scientific basis is sound, genetic risk prediction is rarely a simple task, and expert interpretation may be needed to understand health implications.

Another hurdle will be maintaining safe and secure storage for genetic information. Can the growing community around genetic data learn lessons from the technology sector, building nuanced consent protocols and strong security infrastructure?

Security risks are highest when it comes to maintaining anonymity. Yaniv Erlich found the owners of 50 anonymous DNA sequences freely available online by querying a couple of public databases. Not only could he and his researchers put a name to the DNA sequence, they could start to identify family traits.

How great are the security risks for genetic databases and do they differ fundamentally from other confidential medical records?

Our specialist panel:

• Prof Tim Hubbard (Head of the Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics at King's College London)
• Dr Ron Zimmern (Chairman of PHG Foundation – a think tank looking at the relationship between genomics and public health)
• Dr Mark Bale (Deputy Head of Health Science and Bioethics, DoH)

The event was organised in partnership with the PHG Foundation.

After the panel, we talked to PHG Foundation Chair Dr Ron Zimmern about the impact of a genomics revolution:

We also caught up with Sir John Chisholm, the chairman of both Nesta and Genomics England: