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Hi All,
WOW! Do I ever have some exciting news! I received my medical school bulletin yesterday, which contained a feature article on "personalized" medicine. This is the whole new approach that is learning about variations in genes in order to predict a specific patient's response to therapy.
My old alma mater has now established a new research institute with 60 top scientists to explore this issue. It is headed by Dr. Fraser-Liggett, who is the former head of the Institute for Genomic Research. Apparently she is also the most frequently-cited scientist worldwide in the field of microbiology.
And GUESS WHAT? Her area of interest is a field within personalized medicine called human metagenomics. This is the study and function of the microbial community that inhabits the human body. Here is a quote from her......... "from the moment of birth we are colonized by micro-organisms that are important in defining our immune system. We suspect that every exposure in life (drug therapy, diet, illness, pollutants, alcohol, etc.) has an impact on this microbial community."
Furthermore, she has a subspecialty interest in the gastrointestinal tract and the shift in microbial communities associated with diseases such as Crohn's, ulcerative colitis, and INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE (emphasis mine). She say that the first step is to pinpoint microbial differences in specific individuals so that therapies can be appropriately directed.
HALLELUJAH! Tex, are you jumping for joy yet? We have always suspected that microbes were somehow a major part of MC. I will see if I can get in touch with this program - I would think they might be interested in the info we have learned here on our own. I'll bet we could even come up with some research subjects if they are interested.
Love,
Polly
P.S. I saw an interview this AM on CNBC with a lady who has started a private company to do individual genome analysis (it's called something like "23 and Me"). You mail her your saliva. Anyway, this CEO has partnered with a Swiss drug company to develop new therapies based on the genetic findings. Space age medicine is coming to a town near you! LOL!
"Personalized" Medicine....Our Hope for the Future
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
"Personalized" Medicine....Our Hope for the Future
Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused.
Polly,
"Wow!" for sure! I had a hunch that some day medicine was going to make the leap from the stone age to the space age, but frankly, I didn't expect to hear about it quite this soon. This will obviously bring the most impressive changes in treatment methods, since bleeding patients lost favor as a treatment.
Thanks for making my day, and my week.
Love,
Tex
"Wow!" for sure! I had a hunch that some day medicine was going to make the leap from the stone age to the space age, but frankly, I didn't expect to hear about it quite this soon. This will obviously bring the most impressive changes in treatment methods, since bleeding patients lost favor as a treatment.
Thanks for making my day, and my week.
Love,
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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annie oakley
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