To read the full DNA sequence of the pigeon, the researchers used a male bird from the Danish Tumbler breed.

BBC: Pigeon DNA gives up fancy secrets

For an era of targeted therapies, Private Health runs a full battery of molecular diagnostics "to sequence the entire three billion base pairs of somebody's DNA in a couple of hours, " Mr. Michelson marvels.

WSJ: The Weekend Interview with Leslie Michelson: Doctor to the 1% (and Maybe Someday to You)