Genomic medicine
Genomic Medicine
Genomic Medicine (pronunciation: /dʒɪˈnɒmɪk ˈmɛdɪsɪn/) is a medical discipline that involves using genomic information about an individual as part of their clinical care (e.g., for diagnostic or therapeutic decision-making) and the health outcomes and policy implications of that clinical use.
Etymology
The term "Genomic Medicine" is derived from the words "Genome" and "Medicine". The word "Genome" comes from the Greek words "genos" meaning "race, kind" and "nomos" meaning "law". "Medicine" is derived from the Latin word "medicina", meaning "the healing art".
Related Terms
- Genomics: The study of the genomes of organisms.
- Genetic Testing: The sequencing of human DNA in order to discover genetic differences, anomalies, or mutations that might be responsible for a particular disease.
- Personalized Medicine: Medical care that is tailored to the individual patient.
- Pharmacogenomics: The study of how genes affect a person's response to drugs.
- Precision Medicine: An approach to patient care that allows doctors to select treatments that are most likely to help patients based on a genetic understanding of their disease.
Applications
Genomic Medicine has a wide range of applications in healthcare. These include:
- Cancer Genomics: The study of the totality of DNA sequence and gene expression differences between tumour cells and normal host cells.
- Pharmacogenomics: The study of how a person's genetic makeup affects their response to drugs.
- Genomic Prediction: The use of genomic markers to predict future disease risk in individuals.
- Genomic Counseling: The process of helping individuals understand and adapt to the medical, psychological and familial implications of genetic contributions to disease.
Challenges
Despite its potential, Genomic Medicine also faces several challenges. These include:
- Ethical, Legal and Social Issues in Genomics: These are the ethical, legal and social implications of genomic research and its applications.
- Genomic Data Privacy: The protection of individual privacy and confidentiality in genomic research.
- Genomic Literacy: The ability to understand, evaluate, and make informed decisions about genomic information.
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