Scientists at IBM are using a combination of nanotechnology and microchips to map out personal genetic code -- a development that could significantly improve the process of diagnosing and treating diseases.

Merging biology with computer technology, researchers at IBM are working on a project that aims to make it easier to decode human DNA, and thus help scientists discover and test new medicines and medical techniques. And, IBM says, a faster and less expensive way to obtain genetic information would help doctors better understand their patients' predisposition to diseases.

The ultimate goal of IBM's project is to create process that could read, or sequence, a person's genome at a cost of $100 to $1,000. In comparison, the first sequencing ever done by the Human Genome Project cost $3 billion, according to IBM.