Personalized Medicine: Promises and Pitfalls broadly explores the tailoring of medical treatment to a patient’s characteristics, needs, and preferences during all stages of care, including prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up.
The book’s goal is to explain the science behind personalized medicine, what impact it may have on specific diseases, and some of the repercussions of a personalized medical approach on our medical institutions.
Novel personalized therapeutic treatments and their scientific basis are discussed by covering topics as diverse as genomics, proteomics, epigenetics, integrative medicine, stem cells, and the factors that influence personal health.
A personalized medical system also requires patient involvement in developing a healthy lifestyle, and so this book touches on topics such as the individual’s family history, present and past lifestyle, nutrition, exercise levels, and stress factors.
By explaining these broad topics in personalized medicine and the science behind them, we discover how personalized medicine can have a positive impact on an individual’s health.
Genomics
DNA
Chromosomes
Genes
Transcription and Translation
The Birth of Genetics with Mendel
Mitosis, Meiosis, and Recombination
Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism
Cystic Fibrosis, Cancer and Genomics
Post-Translational Modifications
Microarrays and CRISPR/Cas9
Chimera
References
Proteomics
Amino Acids and Proteins
Post-Translational Modifications
Biomarkers
Proteomics, Biomarkers, and Prostate Cancer
Metabolomics
Proteomics, Biomarkers, and Breast Cancer
Proteomics and Atherosclerosis
References
Epigenetics
Diabetes and Epigenetics
Diabetes and DNA Methylation
Histones and Epigenetics
Genomics, Epigenetics, and Environment in Mental Illnesses
miRNAs, siRNAs, and piRNAs
miRNAs and Cancer
miRNAs and Hepatitis C
References
Integrative Medicine: Nutrition and Exercise
Healthy Diet
BMI
Vitamins
Minerals in our Diet
Metabolic Syndrome, Cholesterol, Low-Density Lipoprotein, High-Density Lipoprotein, and Blood Pressure
Genetics, Obesity, and Healthy Diets
Weight Loss
Eating Healthy
Sugar-Sweetened Sodas
Physical Activity and Exercise
Poverty and Child Nutrition
References
Other Integrative Medical Treatments
Acupuncture
Stress
Stress Reduction
Mind–Body Therapies: Meditation, Mindfulness, Dr. John Kabat-Zinn, and Guided Imagery
Yoga
References
The Placebo Effect
Psychological Factors and Neurobiology
Hormone and Immune Responses
Placebo and Antidepressants
Placebo Effect, Survival Effects, and Other Questions
References
Stem Cells
Stem Cells in Medicine
Embryonic Stem Cells
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
iPSCs and Yamanaka Factors
Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer
Scientific Problems to Be Solved for iPSCs
Present Use of iPSCs for Medicine
Stem Cells and Parkinson’s Disease and Macular Degeneration
References
Scientific Studies and Medical Trials
Case Reports
RCTs
Other Types of Medical Studies and the Issues with RCTs
Animal Studies
Cell Studies
Computer-Based Modeling
Peer Review of Medical and Scientific Studies Leading to Publication
References
Medical Training for Personalized Medicine
Genomics and the Medical School Curriculum
National Resources for Genomics Training
Collaboration across Medical Disciplines for Personalized Medicine
References
Drug, Hospital, and Medical Care Costs
Healthcare Costs
Drug Costs
What Ails Us
Adding Personalized and Preventative Medicine to our Healthcare System
Conclusions
References
Ethics
International and National Laws Protecting Patients
Privacy of Patient Records and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
Patient Autonomy, Well-Being, and Equity
Applicability of Personalized Therapeutics
Research Ethics
Artificial Intelligence
References
Conclusions
References
Glossary of Scientific Terms
Biography
Gloria Gronowicz, PhD, is currently a professor in the Department of Surgery at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington, USA. Dr. Gronowicz received her PhD in biological sciences from Columbia University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Chicago. She has published more than 100 articles in peer-reviewed journals, ten book chapters and many scientific abstracts for national and international meetings. For more than 25 years, Dr. Gronowicz has had continuous NIH funding and has been funded by numerous scientific and medical foundations for her research. Her research interests include bone biology, osteoporosis, aging, the response of bone cells to implant materials, otosclerosis and integrative/complementary medicine.
"This is an extraordinary book written by a research scientist to educate medical personnel and laypersons on the changes in molecular biology research and how the practice of medicine can benefit from that research… This is a uniquely important book, one that sets a milestone in understanding how science and medicine are progressing, bringing older practicing clinicians and their patients to an understanding of what medicine can offer now and a glimpse into what the future holds." - Vincent F Carr, DO, MSA, FACC, FACP(Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences), Doody Enterprises
