The reading of the human genome, officially presented in 2000 after more than a decade of effort and a multi-million dollar investment, was at the time the biological equivalent of a moon landing. Fifteen years of work, hundreds of scientists, and billions of dollars were needed to obtain that first complete sequence of human DNA.
Just over two decades later, that same process is carried out in a matter of hours and for less than a thousand euros. The radical transformation of modern genetics It is at the heart of the 2026 Princess of Asturias Award for Scientific and Technical Research, which recognizes British chemists David Klenerman and Shankar Balasubramanian and French biophysicist Pascal Mayer, the creators of the world's most widely used rapid DNA sequencing technologies.
Who are the award winners and why is their work being recognized?
David Klenerman (United Kingdom, 1959) y Shankar Balasubramanian (Chennai, India, 1966) They are professors in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Cambridge and have been working for decades at the intersection of physical chemistry and molecular biology. Along with them, the award recognizes the biophysicist Pascal Mayer (Moselle, France, 1963), with extensive experience in the private sector and currently an associate professor at the University of Strasbourg.
The three scientists were pioneers, independently but in a complementary way, in the development of what are known as next generation DNA sequencing technologies (Next-Generation Sequencing, NGS). The prize jury, meeting in Oviedo under the presidency of physicist Pedro Miguel Echenique, emphasized that his methods have boosted clinical diagnosis and research in biology, biomedicine, forensic Medicine and ecology, to the point of becoming everyday tools.
Before these advances, obtaining the complete sequence of a human genome required months of work and a budget of millions of euros. Today, thanks to these techniques, the same analysis can be completed in a day.with a cost reduction that the jury estimates at thousands of times compared to the initial procedures. This has paved the way for increasingly personalized medicine based on each patient's genetic information.
The ruling, for which studies were conducted 56 applications from 24 countriesIt also highlights the international dimension of the contribution of Klenerman, Balasubramanian and Mayer, whose technology is behind most of the commercial sequencing platforms used both in Europe and the rest of the world.
How next-generation rapid DNA sequencing works
At the heart of the award is the massive parallel sequencingThis approach allows millions of DNA fragments to be read simultaneously. Unlike classical methods, which read long chains nucleotide by nucleotide sequentially, the new technology divides the entire genome into countless short pieces that are processed together.
The procedure, in the version developed by Solexa-Illumina, is based on the so-called āsequencing by synthesisāFirst, the DNA is fragmented into small segments that are immobilized on the surface of a chip or flow cell. Millions of copies of each fragment are then generated on that surface using a method of surface amplification of DNA, devised by Pascal Mayer, which forms tiny groups or āclustersā of identical copies.
Next, nucleotides modified with reversible fluorophores are incorporated. In each cycle of the process, a new base is added to the growing chains, and the emitted color is optically recorded, allowing researchers to identify which nucleotide has been incorporated. The repeated and synchronized reading of these cycles reconstructs, base by base, the sequence of millions of fragments in parallel.
Subsequently, powerful computer programs digitally assemble all these fragments to reconstruct the complete genome sequenceThe result is a comprehensive reading of human DNAāor that of any other organismāin record time and with very high accuracy, suitable for clinical use and for large research projects.
This conceptual leap, from reading a few regions of the genome to being able to analyze billions of fragments at once, is what has positioned the technologies of Klenerman, Balasubramanian, and Mayer as reference standard in modern genomics.
From Cambridge to hospitals: the Solexa-Illumina platform
Balasubramanian and Klenerman did not limit themselves to academic work. At the end of the 20th century, they co-founded Solexa, biotechnology company Created with the idea of āābringing its sequencing method to market and making it available to laboratories worldwide, the company was eventually acquired by Illumina, which is now one of the leading global players in genomic sequencing platforms.
In parallel, Pascal Mayer independently developed key techniques for the surface amplification of DNA on a solid supportThis was one of the missing pieces needed for massive sequencing to be robust, scalable, and economically viable. His research at various companies, such as Manteia Predictive Medicine and BioFilm Control, and later at the biotechnology company Alphanosos, helped to solidify this approach.
The resulting business method, popularly known as Solexa/Illumina technologyThis has led to devices capable of sequencing entire genomes at high speed. Among them, MiSeq stands out, considered the first next-generation sequencer approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for clinical diagnostics, a milestone that has facilitated its integration into hospitals and healthcare centers.
In Europe, this platform is commonly used in public and private networks. Projects like Genomics EnglandProjects such as the International Cancer Genome Project, driven by the British National Health Service (NHS), rely heavily on these teams to decipher the genetic basis of multiple pathologies and advance towards more precise treatments.
From the genome project to personalized medicine
The first complete sequencing of the human genome, presented around the year 2000, involved investing more than ten years of work and exceeding the one billion dollar barrier. That was a scientific featHowever, it was economically unfeasible for routine clinical practice. The techniques developed by the award winners have completely changed that situation.
Today it is possible to obtain the sequence of a human genome in less than two days and for a cost that, according to various estimates cited by experts, is already around 300 euros in some contexts. What was once a gigantic international project It has become an analysis that many hospitals can request as an additional test within a patient's medical history.
Specialists like the geneticist Gemma Marfany, from the University of BarcelonaThey emphasize that falling costs and process automation have driven the development of precision medicine. Being able to analyze each person's genome, they state, makes it possible to identify mutations responsible for diseases, adjust cancer treatments, or anticipate the risk of developing certain illnesses.
From the perspective of basic research, advances in sequencing have opened the door to detailed study genetic variability among individuals, the evolutionary history of human populations or the presence of DNA fragments inherited from other species, such as Neanderthals, something that just a few years ago was unimaginable with this depth.
The geneticist LluĆs Montoliu (CNB-CSIC, CIBERER-ISCIII) He summarizes this change as the true birth of the genomics era: massive sequencing has made it possible to move from analyzing isolated genes to viewing the entire genome as a routine tool for diagnosis and research.
Impact on cancer, rare diseases, infections and microbiome
One of the fields where this revolution is most noticeable is in the oncologyNext-generation technologies make it possible to identify mutations that drive tumor growth, detect drug resistance, and select therapies targeting very specific molecular targets. This has led to treatments that are more tailored to each patient's genetic profile.
In the field of rare diseasesThe ability to analyze the entire genome or the exome (the coding region) has multiplied diagnostic possibilities. Patients who had gone years without answers are now finding, thanks to these studies, the genetic variants responsible for their condition, which facilitates better clinical follow-up and genetic counseling for families.
Rapid sequencing is also used in next-generation prenatal tests, which analyze cell-free fetal DNA in maternal blood. These techniques allow for the detection of chromosomal abnormalities and certain genetic pathologies without invasive procedures, something that is increasingly incorporated into clinical practice in Europe.
Beyond medicine, NGS has notably boosted the systems biology and ecologyBy allowing the identification of thousands of species in environmental samples, the analysis of microbial communities as a whole, and the study of ecosystems without the need to isolate each organism in the laboratory, it is of great importance, for example, in biodiversity or water quality studies.
A particular case is the analysis of human microbiomeThe microbiota, the collection of microorganisms that inhabit our bodies, is the subject of study. New sequencing platforms have made it possible to describe these communities in detail and link them to digestive, metabolic, and even neurological diseases. This is one of the most active fields of current biomedical research and relies almost entirely on the technology now recognized with the Princess of Asturias Award.
Rapid sequencing in the face of the Covid pandemic
During the Covid pandemic, rapid DNA and RNA sequencing moved from specialized laboratories to the center of global public health. The SARS-CoV-2 virus was identified and sequenced at an unprecedented speedThis made it possible to design vaccines in less than a year and to track the emergence of variants almost in real time.
Next-generation techniques enabled genomic surveillance teams in Europe and other continents to rapidly detect new strains, monitor their spread, and assess their potential impact on vaccine effectiveness. The ability to sequence thousands of viral genomes in parallel It proved essential to adapt health strategies to the evolution of the virus.
The jury of the Princess of Asturias Award emphasizes in its minutes that these technologies have been crucial in identifying not only new variants of coronavirus, but also other emerging pathogensThis knowledge has served as the basis for the development of multiple vaccines and treatments that are administered worldwide today, including in countries with limited resources.
The Princess of Asturias Foundation points out that without the methods created by Klenerman, Balasubramanian and Mayer, the global response to the pandemic would have been much slower and less effective. The combination of speed, accuracy and cost reduction It was crucial for healthcare systems to be able to integrate genomic information into their decision-making.
Beyond COVID-19, the experience gained has boosted the use of next-generation sequencing in surveillance networks for influenza, respiratory viruses, and other infectious diseases, consolidating its role as an essential public health tool.
Scientific careers and international recognition
David Klenerman's career has been spent almost entirely in the United Kingdom. After earning his PhD at Cambridge and completing a postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford University, he worked in industrial research before returning to academia. He currently holds the Royal Society Chair of Molecular Medicine in Cambridge and has hundreds of scientific publications, with thousands of international citations.
Shankar Balasubramanian, for his part, is the Herchel Smith Professor of Medicinal Chemistry and a group leader at the Cancer Research Institute of the same university. He has received numerous awards in Europe and the United States and He is the author of around three hundred articles and several patents., ranging from the structure of nucleic acids to epigenetics and new therapeutic approaches.
The third award winner, Pascal Mayer, has spent much of his career in pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. After training in biophysics and various stays in Canada and France, he has held positions of responsibility in companies such as Glaxo-Wellcome, Manteia Predictive Medicine, Haploys or BioFilm ControlIn 2014 he founded Alphanosos, dedicated to the development of therapeutic substances with the support of artificial intelligence, and in 2024 he joined the University of Strasbourg as an associate professor.
All three award winners already held prestigious accolades. Balasubramanian and Klenerman, for example, were honored alongside Mayer with the Breakthrough Prize in Life Sciences 2022The Princess of Asturias Award is one of the most financially prestigious scientific prizes. This year's nomination was submitted by American biochemist Philip Felgner, who received the same award in 2021 for his contributions to the development of COVID-19 vaccines.
This new award adds to a history of prizes that underscores the global relevance of his findings. His work has not only boosted basic research in genomicsbut it has a direct impact on healthcare, from large European hospitals to clinical and biomedical laboratories that incorporate sequencing as a routine tool.
The role of the Princess of Asturias Foundation and the context of the award
The Princess of Asturias Award for Scientific and Technical Research recognizes each year research, discoveries or innovations in fields such as medicine, biology, physics, chemistry, astronomy, or Earth and space sciencesThe goal is to recognize works that make a significant contribution to the progress of humanity.
In this edition, the prize includes 50.000 euros and a sculpture designed by Joan MirĆ³ which has become a symbol of the award, a certificate and an insignia. The awards ceremony is traditionally held in October at the Campoamor Theatre in Oviedo, presided over by the King and Queen, the Princess of Asturias, and Infanta SofĆa.
The jury that decided the 2026 prize was composed of scientists and science communicators from different specialties, including Arturo Ćlvarez-Buylla, Juan Luis Arsuaga, Mar CapeĆ”ns, Avelino Corma, Elena GarcĆa Armada or GinĆ©s Morataamong others. The secretary of the jury was the science communicator Manuel Toharia.
In recent years, this category has recognized advances as diverse as diabetes control, treatment against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, the development of artificial intelligence, and the work of geneticists. Mary-Claire King in cancer preventionThe choice of rapid DNA sequencing technologies is in line with this approach of rewarding discoveries with a direct impact on health and knowledge of life.
In this way, the Princess of Asturias Foundation underlines its commitment to raising awareness those advances that, although sometimes going unnoticed outside of specialized circlesThey end up profoundly transforming society, medicine, and scientific research.
The history of rapid DNA sequencing illustrates how an innovation born in chemistry and biophysics laboratories has ended up being integrated into hospitals, public health programs, and large international genomic projects. Recognition for Klenerman, Balasubramanian, and Mayer It focuses on a technology that has forever changed the way we read the book of life, boosted personalized medicine, and strengthened the ability to respond to global health threats, placing genomics at the heart of contemporary biomedicine.
