How will knowing the human genome sequence affect medicine?
Knowing the DNA sequence is important because it affects such attributes as appearance, response to particular medicines, and resistance to infections and toxins. It may even influence behavior. Some sequence variations also can cause or contribute to such disorders as those found on the chromosomes presented in this Web site. These new data and powerful DNA analysis tools will usher in a new era of medicine that could allow doctors to detect disease at earlier stages, make more accurate diagnoses, and customize drugs and other medical treatments to fit an individual’s own DNA sequence. The eventual understanding of a gene’s normal functions and how the gene may change to cause or contribute to disease will lead to more focused and effective treatments with fewer side effects.
