Just to note one interesting example from the Question of the Year so far, David Goldstein suggests that

Before long, a global wealthy elite will not only stump up the $1,000 dollars but will also hire ’sequence consultants’ to advise them about what their complete sequence means for their health…

We all know what a difficult funding environment young scientists face these days, and many will be on the lookout for ‘alternative’ careers. I think Dr. Goldstein has hit on one that has yet to be fully explored (patent attorney and journal editor being old news by now). How long before a small group of enterprising postdocs puts together a sequence consulting firm? What you tell your clients may not even matter.

This is not the only opportunity out there for young scientists whose eyes are wandering from the lab bench. A report in the NY Times last September noted the attractiveness of real estate assets in biomedical hubs, which can results in a high rate of return to investors. The article, by Alison Gregor, notes that

Still, life sciences real estate is not something investors should dive into without doing their research…They need to know the science.

She goes on to quote Bruce Beal, chief executive of Beal Companies, a Boston developer:

There’s obviously a high failure rate when a company is doing this kind of testing, especially an embryonic company. So you want to be able to analyze the science of tenants you’re taking into a complex to make sure you’re getting a company founded on good research.

Let’s see. Why not a one-stop shop for genetics and life science consulting? You can offer an analysis of commercial biotech startups along Route 128, and throw in a little personal sequence consulting on the side, combining two of the hottest things going in today’s market.

Venture capitalists can reach me care of this blog.