Photo by Thomas Ferrara Charles Wang looks over students' shoulders in an Oyster Bay school's computer lab. Now the revolutions in DNA science and computer science are converging, creating powerful new tools to diagnose, treat and sometimes even cure life-threatening diseases, as well as increase agricultural production. Computers make it easier to analyze genes and parts of genes, find early breast tumors and remove them, and help hospitals to keep better track of patients' medications and doctors' findings.
Long Island continues to play a major role in the history and development of high-tech and biotech.
Some of the Island's best-known materials scientists, molecular biologists, inventors and software gurus have helped to bring the region's economy into the computer and biomedical age. One example of this convergence, Hayward said, is the creation of new scientific disciplines, such as pharmacogenomics, by Long Island software, pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Some Long Island leaders in these fields have national reputations. And these scientific entrepreneurs continue to spin off new ideas, discoveries and companies. It has produced more than 6 million bar-code scanners and terminals, and its latest computer models are used in retailing, transportation, logistics and distribution businesses.