The era of personal genomic medicine may have to wait. The genetic analysis of common disease is turning out to be a lot more complex than expected.
Since the human genome was decoded in 2003, researchers have been developing a powerful method for comparing the genomes of patients and healthy people, with the hope of pinpointing the DNA changes responsible for common diseases.
This method, called a genomewide association study, has proved technically successful despite many skeptics’ initial doubts. But it has been disappointing in that the kind of genetic variation it detects has turned out to explain surprisingly little of the genetic links to most diseases.
My wife and I were watching a TV film on the makeup of the human brain. There is such a tremendous bit storage and programming ability in this wonderful God-given organic computer – I can’t comprehend it. The DNA and gene molecule for all their storage capability pales in comparison.