Biotech Updates

Genome Sequencing Isn't Predictive of Most Diseases

April 13, 2012

Prof. Bert Vogelstein from Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and other researchers reported that sequencing the genomes of patients is not the best way to predict their tendencies to get certain diseases.

Their study revealed that most people would get negative results from having their genome sequenced for all but one of the 24 identified conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and Alzeimer's. According to the authors, genome sequencing may help trace a number of genetic disorders, but the process may not be a good predictor of who will suffer from the majority of illnesses. Thus, prevention is still the key in avoiding ailments.

Results of the study is published in Science Translational Medicine journal: http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/early/2012/04/02/scitranslmed.3003380.abstract?sid=f7ff7501-2f56-45f8-b16a-7391e6a78352.