Know Thyself 2.0: When Technology Rewrites Life | Aristides G. Eliopoulos

Genetic Predisposition and Disease - Genetic variations account for 04% of the differences between individuals, influencing traits and disease susceptibility [3] - Genetics reveals two paths to disease predisposition: monogenic diseases caused by a single gene mutation and polygenic diseases influenced by hundreds or thousands of DNA variations combined with lifestyle factors [5][6] - Approximately 50% of chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and depression, are attributable to genetic factors [6] - Polygenic risk scores can identify individuals with a two-to-threefold increased genetic risk for obesity, hypertension, or heart disease, enabling preventative measures [7] Genetic Technology and Prevention - Genetic guidance helps prevent diseases by enabling personalized prevention strategies based on individual genetic predispositions [10] - Epigenetics demonstrates that environmental factors, diet, stress, exercise, and the microbiome influence gene expression without altering the DNA sequence [12][13] - The completion of the human genome sequencing project cost approximately $3 billion and took over a decade; now, whole-genome DNA analysis from saliva costs around €600 and takes only a few days [15] - Genome editing technologies, like CRISPR, allow for correcting "typos" in the DNA, with applications in treating monogenic diseases such as sickle cell anemia [16] - Artificial intelligence is used to predict disease risks by learning from thousands or millions of genomes, enhancing precision medicine [16][17] Ethical Considerations and Future Implications - The convergence of genetics and technology raises ethical questions regarding access to genetic information, privacy protection, data management, and the right to know or not know [23] - Genetic information empowers individuals to personalize nutrition, treatment, and disease prevention, improving quality and duration of life [22] - Synthetic biology is advancing beyond understanding and correcting DNA to creating new genes, biological systems, and even artificial cells from scratch [17]