BRAINCAKEPersonalised Medicine
Personalised medicine uses information about a person's genotype to choose the most effective drug and dose for them. Genetic screening with DNA probes identifies the alleles a person carries.
People respond differently to the same drug partly because they have different alleles. For example, many drugs are broken down by enzymes in the liver, and different alleles of the genes for these enzymes produce enzymes that work faster or more slowly. A slow metaboliser given a normal dose may build up a high concentration of the drug and suffer side effects, while a fast metaboliser may break the drug down before it can work.
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Key terms in this lesson
- allele
- One of two or more alternative versions of a gene, occupying the same locus on homologous chromosomes.
- genotype
- The genetic constitution of an organism, i.e. the particular combination of alleles it possesses.
More in Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
- Patenting
- GM animals
- Gene Therapy
- DNA Probes
- DNA Hybridisation
- Locating Specific Alleles with Probes
- Genetic Screening
- Genetic Counselling
All 23 lessons in Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology · All AQA A-level Biology topics