At present, scientific advances in the field of genomics have made it possible to know the characteristics of each patient, thus achieving a deeper knowledge that allows the individualization or personalization of said treatments. Genomic medicine uses information from the genome (Individual’s complete set of genes – the entire genetic material or DNA) to guide medical decision-making, as it can be used to make an early diagnosis or to prevent the development of a disease.
DNA, genes and chromosomes
To understand how they determine our health and our life, we must know their role: the dna is the protagonist, is like a large database containing all the instructions needed to create and maintain life; although with exceptions, every cell in the body has the same DNA. For their part, the genesis what we call each of those instructionsWe currently know of more than 20,000 and each one participates in one or several processes within our body. Lastly, we have the chromosomeswhich They function as structures that help organize that information, contain and store DNA within each cell for the maintenance of organisms. Human beings have 23 pairs of chromosomes, one of which determines the sex of individuals (XX for women and XY for men). Under normal conditions, individuals inherit one chromosome of each pair in the egg and another in the sperm.
The genes are the responsible for distinctive features such as eye color, height and even our predisposition to eat between meals or our physical resistance to exercise depends on the information contained in them. Although sometimes we can associate genetic information with a trait, generally these obey multiple factors; that is to say, although genetics plays a fundamental role in its determination, there are external factors such as diet, smoking or exercise, which can modify the way in which said trait is evidenced.
99.9% of the genome is the same in all human beings, but that 0.1% difference is crucial for the variability that we observe between individuals. That 0.1% change makes us unique, since it determines if we like one type of food or another, if we have skills for a sport, why it is difficult for us to leave certain types of habits or if we can contract some type of disease. So, with a study of our entire genome we can discover what our genes say about us. With this valuable tool, medicine can be personalized to give each patient a treatment according to their genetic information.
The Genomic Medicine Unit of the Clinic It is the first service in Colombia and the region that brings together preventive genome sequencing, as well as other specific genetic studies for diseases together with correct genetic counseling, to carry out early detection of possible diseases and/or diagnoses, even detect possible anomalies of a baby in its gestation stage, to give a prognosis and provide specific management according to each case based on the identified risks. Our purpose is to guide these procedures to improve the health of the population, with the intention of using this knowledge to have a longer, quality and well-being life.