Introduction To Precision Medicine

Question 1

What is precision medicine?

Answer 1

An emerging approach for disease treatment and prevention that takes into account individual variability in genes, environment and lifestyle for each person

Question 2

What is pharmacogenomics?

Answer 2

The study of how genes affect a persons response to a particular drug

Question 3

What is an issue with codeine?

Answer 3

Some people are poor metabolisers so cannot convert to morphine so no pain relief and will have exaggerated side effects
Some people are rapid metabolisers so will convert to morphine very quickly and have toxic levels

Question 4

What are immune checkpoint inhibitors?

Answer 4

Unleash a patients own T cells to kill a tumour - cancer treatment

Question 5

What is gene editing?

Answer 5

Defective gene is replaced by a healthy copy using a DNA cutting enzyme and a guide molecule

Question 6

What was the 100,000 genome project?

Answer 6

Sequence 100,000 human genomes from people with rare diseases

Question 7

What are the 4 main aims of precision medicine?

Answer 7

Bring benefit to NHS patients
Create an ethical and transparent programme based on consent
Enable new scientific discovery and medical insight
To kickstart the development of a UK genomics industry