As gene sequence directly impacts the kind of diseases one is vulnerable to, the meds that will and won’t work. This personalized approach aims to tailor medical care based on the unique genetic makeup of each patient, paving a pathway for more targeted and hence, effective therapies. This article of BIIHr aims to enlighten you about the incredible aspect of modern healthcare and what its future has in store.

🔸Let’s take a quick trip down memory lane first. Back in 1953, James Watson and Francis Crick discovered the double helix structure of DNA, which was like cracking the code of life. Fast forward to the early 2000s, and we had the 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁, which mapped out the entire human genome. This was a huge deal—with this knowledge, scientists could start connecting the dots between specific genes and diseases.

🔹Now, let’s talk about the astounding stuff happening today. Organizations like 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 are using genomics to revolutionize healthcare. For example, they’ve got a program called 𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙊𝙢𝙞𝙘 𝘾𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙧 𝙋𝙧𝙤𝙛𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜, which uses advanced DNA sequencing to figure out the best way to treat cancer. It’s like having detective analyze the DNA of a tumor to figure out how to beat it in the battle.

🎗️But it’s not just about treating diseases—genomic medicine is also about preventing them. Providence’s 𝘾𝘼𝙍𝙀 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙢 is all about detecting breast cancer early by identifying women who are at high risk. They’re using genetic tests to spot these risks way before any symptoms show up, which means they can take action sooner and save lives.

💎And then there’s 𝗢𝘅𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗡𝗮𝗻𝗼𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀, which is levelling things up with their nanopore-based sequencing. This tech can read long strands of DNA and catch all sorts of complex genetic info that other methods might miss. It’s fast, flexible, and even portable, so genome sequencing could happen pretty much anywhere—even outside a lab!

📄The impact of all this is gigantic. We’re talking about being able to identify the cause of a disease in just a few hours. Imagine going from a blood test to a diagnosis in a single day—that’s the imminent power of genomic medicine.  Global projects are even working on solving rare disease cases that have left doctors scratching their heads for years.

🔸In a nutshell, genomic medicine has evolved from a cool idea into something that’s actually changing lives. As technology gets better and our knowledge of genetics expands, we’re heading towards a future where healthcare is more personalized, more effective, and more fair for everyone. How awesome is that?

💠Also, did you know 99.5-99.9% of DNA is actually the same for all of us!! Yes, all the billions of us❗

The ‘magic’ of genomic meds lies in that 0.1-0.5% genes.✨

Do let us know in the comments if you are just as fascinated as us.

Written by -

𝐍𝐚𝐳𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐍𝐚𝐡𝐚𝐫

Assistant Content Lead, BIIHR

&

BPharm (Pursuing), Independent University, Bangladesh