SCI-Assignment 4, Due 12/2/2018 by 01:00pm. No plagarism, will be checked thru safe assign

Running head: PRECISION MEDICINE 1

How Precision Medicine Works

The National Institute of Health (NIH) defines precision medicine as a new prevention and treatment method that is based on understanding a patient’s gene, lifestyle, and environment (Wang, Zhang, & Zhao, 2016). The primary purpose of precision medicine is to develop treatments that address differences in lifestyles, genes, environment, and health history of the patient. Precision medicine applies humanity, sociology, economy, sociology, and ethics to minimize medical expenses and iatrogenic damage and achieve the best possible therapeutic effect. Understanding the environment, lifestyle, and genetic characteristics of a patient makes it possible and easier for healthcare professionals to the most appropriate drugs, time for medicine usage, optimal dose, and the least side effect. Precision medicine involves simply utilizing the DNA that is already there naturally.

Precision medicine works by applying genomics, proteomics, and other technologies to identify and analyze the biomarkers specific diseases and large sample groups. When a patient is diagnosed with a disease of a health condition, the doctor takes a sample from the patient and sequence the genes found in the cells. Genetic sequencing involves determining the order of adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine, which are the four chemical building blocks for an individual organism (Thinkstock, 2018). The order of the four chemicals determines the kind of genetic information found in a segment of a DNA. Researchers identify sections of the DNA molecule that contain genes and regulatory information, thus facilitating the pinpointing of differences between individuals with and without certain traits. Once the unique differences in a patient’s DNA are identified, doctors can prescribe drugs. Sequencing results are used to match the patient to a relevant therapy based on the genome, thus enhancing patient outcomes (Morash, Mitchell, Beltran, Elemento, & Pathak, 2018). In addition to conducting DNA sequencing to determine the unique genome involved in a patient’s health condition, precision medicine also involves identifying and analyzing the environment, health history, and lifestyle of the patient.

Several biological principles are involved in precision medicine. First is genome sequencing, which involves the determination of the perfect order of nucleotides in the DNA molecule. It helps in the determination of the sequence of genomes. The understanding of the sequence of genomes facilitates the determination of unique genetic differences of the patient to facilitate the prescription of the most appropriate treatment. Second is proteomics, which involve a combination of detection, quantitation, ionization, and parget enrichment. Comparative clinical proteomics is enhanced by the collection of data from several tissues of healthy samples. Comparing the sample of the patient with the database allows scientists to associate in the proteomes with particular disease states. Proteomic screening and the early identification of the presence and severity of diseases facilitates quick response and the prescription of appropriate drugs (Duarte & Spencer, 2016). Third is stem cell, which plays a significant role in testing how diseased cells respond to drugs. Stem cell facilitates understanding the development and treatment response of diseases (Fillmore, Xu, Sánchez-Rivera, Jacks, Wong, & Kim, 2016).

In conclusion, precision medicine involves understanding the patient’s gene, lifestyle, and environment to determine the most appropriate treatment. Precision medicine utilizes the DNA that is already there natural. Gene sequencing is used to determine the order of the chemical building blocks to identify unique differences and determine an appropriate medicine. Key biological principles involved in precision medicine include genome sequencing, DNA, proteomics, and stem cells.

References

Duarte, T. T., & Spencer, C. T. (2016). Personalized Proteomics: The Future of Precision Medicine. Proteomes, 4(29), 1-18.

Fillmore, C. M., Xu, C., Sánchez-Rivera, F. J., Jacks, T., Wong, K.-K., & Kim, C. F. (2016). Using stem cell biology to design precision medicine for non-small cell lung cancer. Journal of Thoracic Oncolog, 11(25), s4-s5.

Morash, M., Mitchell, H., Beltran, H., Elemento, O., & Pathak, J. (2018). The Role of Next-Generation Sequencing in Precision Medicine: A Review of Outcomes in Oncology. Journal of Personalized Medicine, 8(30), 1-9.

Thinkstock. (2018). What Are Precision Medicine and Personalized Medicine? Retrieved October 27, 2018, from Health IT Analystics: https://healthitanalytics.com/features/what-are-precision-medicine-and-personalized-medicine

Wang, Z.-G., Zhang, L., & Zhao, W.-J. (2016). Definition and application of precision medicine. Chinese Journal of Traumatology, 30, 1-2.