With ailments such as high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, Mardis said, finding a responsible gene will help identify people at risk for the disease, but a healthy lifestyle will still play a role in fighting it. Although sequencing the human genome will not lead to immediate results, it is an accomplishment that brings a lot of hope. It's going to fuel medical research for the next 20 or 30 years in a huge, huge way. The human genome project may provide a blueprint of human genetics, but experts say developing it will only mark the beginning of the research. Scientists still have to figure out how to use the information.
Scientists know some diseases such as cystic fibrosis are caused by a single defective gene.
But experts say there are probably several genes involved with developing most diseases. Also, researchers need to consider other factors in disease, such as environmental influences. Understanding people's genetic makeup also could help doctors predict their patients' future health. But knowing someone is at risk of developing a disease does not mean doctors can do anything to prevent or treat it. All rights reserved.