This beginning of this century may be known as the “Age of Genetics,” just as the end of the last century was known as the “Information Age.”
The human genome project was started in the mid-1980s culminating in completion of the sequence of slightly over 92% of the human genes in 2003. Essentially the idea was to be able to unravel the mystery of how human traits are carried from one generation to the next, who will be susceptible to which illnesses, and how effective various treatments will be based on a person’s genes.
According to many New England Journal of Medicine articles and editorials, “The human genome has been cracked wide open in recent years and is spilling many of its secrets.” Scores of common diseases such as adult-onset diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, cystic fibrosis, Huntington’s disease, some forms of cancer and other serious diseases all have some unique “genetic fingerprints.” Even height is related to several gene sequences.
The human gene is very complex and very interesting. Humans have about 30,000 genes and this number and type of gene sequences in humans is very similar to mice. This makes mice very easy to use in genetic experiments. In fact, the prestigious Jackson Laboratories in Bar Harbor, Maine has capitalized on these similarities and are recognized for world class research on genetics as relates to human illnesses and treatments.
All human races are more than 99.99% alike so that racial differences are genetically insignificant. This also implies that we all descended from a single original mother. Genetic archeologists track this mother to the African continent over 25 million years ago.
The male sex chromosome which is called the “Y” chromosome is twice as likely to have spontaneous changes called mutations. These new combinations are more likely to be responsible for genetic disorders.
There are other types of genetic diseases which have been well understood for centuries. An example is one type of hemophilia related to the sex chromosomes so that the sons in a family have a 50% chance of being “bleeders.” This was the case of Alexis, the son of Nickolas, a Russian Czars who inherited the gene from his mother who in turn inherited the gene from her grandmother, English Queen Victoria.
With time, much more will be understood about how genetic mapping can help with early diagnosis as those people predisposed to a particular disease will undergo surveillance early and often. With early diagnosis, treatment is usually more effective.
Even with early diagnosis as a help for ultimate prognosis, determining which medicines or treatments will be most effective or contrary-wise, have side effects will be determined by the genetic make-up of the person.
Of course, ethical issues will be raised as is always the case with new technology. With time, society will understand the role of this new scientific power subsequently harnessing the technology for the good of individuals and society in general.
Genetics tells us how our body works, who will be afflicted with which disease, and how we will respond. The age of genetics is the most exciting time for medical science ever.