Editorial Features

  Diseases with a unique genetic basis in Asian populations reveal opportunities for precision public health approaches in the region.   Our genetic makeup, environmental conditions and lifestyle habits are responsible for the myriad of differences that make us individuals. These differences include even our susceptibility to disease: some illnesses, for example, are more likely […]

  From early insights into regional variations in drug response to an ambitious transnational project to consolidate genomic data, 2021 saw advances in precision medicine across the board.    Nearly twenty years after the human genome was first sequenced, advances in genomics research have grown by leaps and bounds. Aided in part by the shrinking […]

  A quick guide on Asia’s renowned large-scale population genomics studies that push frontiers for precision medicine approaches to improve population health.    

  A discovery revealing the association between a common genetic variation and allergic responses could facilitate precision treatments and better outcomes for asthma.   As the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to stretch into its third year, most of us have grown acutely aware of our breathing, with even slight difficulties in respiration raising alarm bells. But […]

  By analysing vast amounts of biomedical data, bioinformaticians play a crucial role in translating insights to clinical impact in precision medicine, says Assistant Professor Lim Weng Khong, Director of Bioinformatics at the SingHealth Duke-NUS Genomic Medicine Centre.   When it comes to data, our genetic codes are a veritable treasure trove. According to the […]

  Patient-empowering approaches like genetic counselling could help usher in the era of precision oncogenomics, say experts at the inaugural Hereditary Cancer Symposium organised by Tan Tock Seng Hospital.   Prevention is better than cure. That may be a commonly heard refrain and one that seems to embody the very concept of genetic counselling: using […]

  The largest meta-analysis of people of East Asian origin to date is adding to a growing genetics resource on type 2 diabetes and bolstering precision medicine efforts in the region.   In the early 20th century, diabetes was a death sentence, leaving sufferers an average of just one year to live. But in 1921, […]

  A genetics-based approach for tailoring patients’ initial dose of the blood thinner warfarin could make the dosing process more efficient—even in Asia’s genetically diverse population.   Despite its humble beginnings as a rat poison, warfarin has risen to become a widely used drug for preventing blood clots in patients at risk of strokes or […]

  Scientists find two novel gene mutations that could explain overly muscular hearts in Asian populations, paving the way for early and accurate detection through precision medicine.   In the time of rising cardiac disease, who wouldn’t want a strong heart? But as the adage goes, too much of a good thing can also be […]

  From breast cancer screening to treatment selection, advances in precision diagnostics can pave the way towards more accurate predictions about clinical conditions and more effective care.   With Breast Cancer Awareness month commemorated every October, the pink ribbon has become a well-recognised symbol to urge the public to undergo breast cancer screening. In 2002, […]