Genes & Environment

My Self

"Deoxy-what?" DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) is the building block for your genes. Genes control all of the body's traits and functions-from how tall you are, the color of your eyes, and your risk for disease.

Many people think of rare, single gene disorders when they think of genetics. Conditions like Huntington Disease, Sickle Cell Anemia, Hemochromatosis and Cystic Fibrosis are all caused by gene changes, called mutations. To find out more about gene mutations and how they happen click here. To learn more about genetic disorders visit the National Library of Medicine.

Common chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, to name a few, are usually not controlled by a single gene. They are the result of many genes interacting together along with your behaviors and environment - they are known as complex or multifactorial conditions. Genomics examines the interactions of a person's genes with other factors, such as behaviors and the environment.

Family health history is also a way of looking at health risk factors because family members share genes, behaviors, lifestyles, ethnicity, traditions, cultures, stress and environments. Your family health history reflects the outcomes of all these influences. The family health history also holds important clues to current and future health risks. To learn more about family health histories click here.

The fact that genes control so much of the body's functioning has led to the new and exciting field of personalized medicine. One type of personalized medicine involves tailoring certain medications to a person's genetic make-up. To learn more about pharmacogenomics click here.