This week, we start with something elemental. Genomes. They’re the mechanism by which our bodies operate. They contain all the genetic information that makes us who we are.
Ten years ago this month, scientists completed work on the Human Genome Project and since then the technology to explore it further has rapidly evolved. Last year, Time Magazine noted the genomic work being done at Kansas City’s Children’s Mercy Hospital to dramatically speed up the diagnosis and treatment of critically ill infants.
Think of it as the difference between testing a patient one disease at a time versus the much broader net that genomes allow us to cast. It is an innovative example of how translational research can ultimately enhance patient care.
Media attention from the likes of Time Magazine and the Newshour is nice for Dr. Kingsmore. Even nicer was the recent $1 million grant from the William T. Kemper Foundation to help fund the Genomic Center’s activities.
