Not a week goes by without an announcement of scientific progress in genomic medicine. The March 6 edition of the New England Journal details how human cells can be genetically modified to make them resistant to the virus that causes AIDS. A week earlier, the same journal had published a finding that analyzing fetal DNA from a pregnant woman's blood was a more accurate and less intrusive way of detecting Down syndrome and other chromosomal abnormalities than methods such as ultrasound and blood tests.
Genome analysis is already being used to guide the treatment of brain and breast cancers. Eric Green, director of the US National Human Genome Research Institute, explains that cancer is essentially a genomic disease. "Instead of classifying cancers by the tissue where they were first detected—colon, breast, or brain—doctors are beginning to classify cancer by its genomic characteristics and select treatments based on the authorship of different mutations. This approach promises to treat patients with the most effective drugs and minimize unwanted side effects, especially when chemotherapy is unlikely to help.
Green says that the completion of the Human Genome Project was the starting point on the road to genomic medicine. At first, a decade ago, scientists focused on using DNA sequencing and computational technologies to interpret the genome and understand its biology. Now they are using them to improve diagnostics, drugs, and clinical practice. Before long, doctors will tailor the treatment of many diseases based on an individual's genomic information.
The first successes of genomic medicine are being seen in rare hereditary diseases.
We may be predisposed to certain diseases because of our genes, but it is not only genes that determine our health. Our lifestyle, habits, and environment also play a role. These factors can cause genes to be activated, deactivated, or even altered. There is also much to learn about what was once called "junk DNA" and about the microbiome—an ecosystem of microorganisms that live in and on the human body. So much more information, research, and analysis is needed.
The good news is that other technologies are advancing rapidly, which will facilitate this research. With the cost of genome sequencing falling to affordable levels, genome data will soon be available for millions of people. In addition, the smartphones we carry are capturing information about our lifestyle and habits, location, and activity levels. Wearable medical devices, which many companies are developing, will record our vital signs such as temperature, blood oxygenation, and heart rate. When this data is combined, it provides the ability to quickly analyze the correlation between our genome, our habits, and our disease—exactly what is needed to develop individualized treatments.
This means that within a few years, medicine will begin to advance at the same pace as the internet and software, leading to a true revolution in healthcare.
However, it is necessary to maintain the basic research that led to genome sequencing and the internet itself. These technologies often take decades to bear fruit, and there are disappointments and failures along the way. There is still much research to be done in the field of genomic medicine. We are on the path to ridding humanity of many diseases. Now is the time to double down on investment, not walk away from it.
Source: GulfNews.com
