Others, like Pacific Biosciences (PacBio) and Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT), have earned their place on the podium. Still others have tried to enter the game, but never made it past the first round. But 2022 may change that, with the emergence of new entrants to the industry and new products launched by the veteran companies. James Hadfield, PhD, senior director, epigenomics, oncology translational medicine, AstraZeneca, told GEN that 2022 was the best year for NGS since 2006. What does this tectonic shift in the field mean? Shawn Baker, PhD, genomics consultant, tells GEN it means that "customers are going to have to get used to making hard choices again, and the vendors are going to have to remember what it takes to fight for sales." Blooms of companies in the spring It was rumored, a few years back, that Molly He, PhD, an Illumina veteran, would launch a new NGS company.