Implications of genomics advances for drug discovery, clinical therapies, & rare disease research.

• Jurisdiction: United States
• Date: 01 January 2014
• Author: Raymond, John R.

The burgeoning field of genomics offers immense promise for the transformational power of personalized medicine. Genomics is the study of the full complement of DNA in an individual cell or organism. Personalized medicine is the customization of health care therapies to the individual patient. By sequencing the genome (DNA) of an individual, one can unlock the secrets of genetic causes of rare diseases, customize therapies for specific cancer types, and identify predispositions for complex diseases. (9) The ability to sequence the entirety of an individual's genome, and to analyze and annotate it have improved exponentially over the last few years, to the point that it is conceivable, and perhaps inevitable, that anyone who wants to have their genome sequenced will be able to do so for a relatively nominal fee within the next few years. The confluence of rapid...