Chicago – Using a newly discovered key to secrets of the genetic code, an international team of more than 200 scientists reported Wednesday that they are on the threshold of finding the genetic variations that make one person different than another, and what in their makeup makes them prone to a particular illness.
Researchers expect that for the first time they will have the power to pinpoint the elusive genetic basis of disease – why some people get sick while others don’t – and why some people are more susceptible to environmental toxins than others, they reported in the British journal Nature.
Their findings are expected to lead to new ways of preventing, treating and curing diseases, they said, though the scientists cautioned it may take a long time before any treatments become available. The knowledge could also help drugmakers personalize medications to avoid genetic reactions, such as allergies. Scientists unveiled the first edition of a huge catalog of genetic variations that influence such things as height, hair color and susceptibility to disease.
