DNA sequencing advances preventive medicine and pharmacogenomics

Advances in DNA sequencing are transforming preventive medicine by allowing scientists to read 3 billion letters of the human genome to identify more than 600 genetic diseases. This capability enables the identification of predispositions to conditions such as glaucoma, cardiovascular risks via PCSK9 or LDLR genes, and propensities for breast and prostate cancer up to ten years earlier than standard guidelines suggest.

Adrián Turjanski, a CONICET researcher and scientific director of Gen360, emphasizes that longevity should focus on maintaining mobility, mental health, and the absence of chronic diseases. This shift prioritizes prevention over cure, utilizing genetic tests to intervene before symptoms appear.

A significant application of this technology is pharmacogenomics, which studies how individual bodies metabolize different active ingredients. This allows for precise dosage adjustments, the avoidance of adverse effects—particularly in elderly patients taking multiple medications—and increased economic efficiency by selecting the correct treatments from the start.