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People are different from each other. We look different, talk different and behave different. There are two factors which underline all of these differences - genetic variability and environment . They are role is not equal and for some trains genetic variability has more input than the environment and vice versa. In the development of some diseases genes play a major role while  environmental factors can only slightly modulate this process (e.g. Cystic Fibrosis and Huntington's Disease). On the other hand, in many cancers (such as lung cancer) environmental factors like smoking, air pollution and increased level of radiation are the main cause of the illness. All this means that individual's propensity to contract a disease is a combination of both genetic and environmental factors.

Yes, you can. Diseases develop as a result of interaction between the genetic makeup and the environment the individual lives in. We can do much about our environment: we can change unhealthy habits, eat healthy food and regularly do physical exercise. But is impossible to do anything about the genes  we were born with (at least until the gene therapy technology is fully developed). Does it mean that we are doomed then? No! Most disease (including the biggest killers like lung cancer) are completely curable when diagnosed early. Medical Genomics aims at developing tools which will allow doctors to identify people with increased risk of contracting a particular disease and develop a screening strategy which will allow its early diagnostics and 100% treatment.

When flying in an airplane we often do not think that something can happen to it. This is because we know that according to statistics planes develop problems in the air very rarely (say in 1 flight  out of  50,000), crash even more rarely  and chances of a fatal accident is 1 death out of 50,000,000 fights! This is very low, almost similar to the chances of being killed by a fallen meteorite. All the same, people are afraid to fly. However, do we know of our chances to contract a fatal disease and die within 5 years?  99.9999% of  people do not, while every one has at least several genes which cause this risk to be not 1 out of 50,000,000 but 1 out of 50 and even higher! No one would fly in a plane knowing that in 1 chance out of 50 he/she will be dead in 5 years time. So, we live with a risk and do not know how big it is. Using latest advances in Human Genome Project  Medical Genomics develops genetic test which will allow you to easily estimate the risk of developing an unpleasant health condition during your life. Armed with this information it will be possible to develop a health strategy which will minimise this risk and catch the disease at early stages when it is easy to treat completely.

This is a question which one has to answer to himself/herself. Are 1 in 50 chances of developing a particular condition high enough for me to worry about? What if they were 1 in 20 or even 1 in 5? For many people it will be difficult to make the decision  and they will need an advice from a  qualified medical geneticist. It is a policy of Medical Genomics that all our clients will be given free medical advice on the risk and how to manage it. Our doctors will give you the facts and if you think that the risk which was detected by Medical Genomics is high enough for you to worry they will assist you in developing an adequate health screening strategy. Remember: it is you who tell us that the risk is high for you and not otherwise!

Genetic variability represents all possible DNA sequence variants that occur in a given population. This variability can be caused by nucleotide substitutions, insertions and deletions and appear within various regions of DNA. The changes which occur in the regions controlling functional properties of proteins or performing regulatory functions can cause changes in protein function and by this be a cause of disease.

Changes in DNA sequence (often called mutations) can occur either in germ-line cells (sperm cells in men and ovicells in women) or in somatic tissues (all other tissues; often a major cause of cancers). These changes happen spontaneously or may be due to some environmental factor (radiation, tobacco smoking, air pollution, herbicides etc). Mutations occurring in somatic cells during the lifespan of an individual can affect disease-related genes (e.g. genes involved in carcinogenesis) but are not transmitted to the next generation. However, mutations which occur in germ cells are transmitted to the progeny and inherited within a pedigree. This second type of mutations will be possible to detect in any given cell of the individual who inherited them (such as blood or mouth epithelial cells) and are the main focus of the screening services of Medical Genomics.

The great majority of human diseases are polygenic which means that several genes are implicated in their development. The relative input of these genes in the disease development is unequal with some genes having more effect than others. There is no special "cancer", “osteoporosis” or “heart attack gene” – many genetic factors, some of them still unknown, play a part in these conditions. To adequately assess the risk, ideally, all of them should be analysed. At the same time genes behave differently in different environments. In one environment some genes may have a lesser effect on disease development whereas in others they could be the main cause. It is vital to have both genetic and environmental, dietary, lifestyle data and other data in order to give the customer a precise estimate of their possible susceptibility to various conditions and disorders.

Most work in genetic screening concentrates on genes, Medical Genomics concentrates on conditions. The uniqueness of our approach is that we are planning to assess the risk of developing a particular condition by analysing all genes found so far to have significant association with it. These data will be analysed and the conclusion made taking into account customers’ environmental backgrounds.

Currently no other company offers such a service. Our primary goal is to give customers complete estimation of personal health risk so they will be able use it to devise the best life-style strategy.

Medical Genomics realises that many genes are yet to be found. As the association between genes and disease is refined and the interaction between the genotype, phenotype and environment properly assessed this information will be used to update old tests. The data accumulated during the course of the programme will be analysed to develop proprietary risk model of genetic and environmental effect on disease predisposition.

Medical Genomics has agreements with world-class genetics counsellors who form part of the UK government’s genetics strategy and are well-versed in providing first class customer counselling. Using acknowledged subject matter experts and qualified genetic counsellors, Medical Genomics aims to provide both pre and post screening. Our customers will receive personalised guidance and will be provided with further contacts for action if necessary.