The Hindu : 'Common disease-causing genes will be identified in 15-20 years'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 15, 2003

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National

'Common disease-causing genes will be identified in 15-20 years'

By Ramya Kannan

Prof. Nick Wood

CHENNAI JAN. 14. Even as sensational, though unsubstantiated, claims about producing human clones have hit the headlines, neurogeneticist and head of neurology, University of London, Nick Wood, was in Chennai, discussing the future of scientific gene study and the possibilities that it held for the practice of medicine.

For Prof. Wood, the future of genetics is in the study of multiple genes that cause common diseases and the various factors including interactions between the genome and environments. " It is just an educated guess, but we can be fairly certain that the common disease-causing genes will be identified in the next 15-20 years. Identifying the common genetic variants and rarer patterns may take a lot more time," he says. While a lot of work had been done on single gene disorders, as in the case of the Huntingdon's Disease, identifying complex multiple gene causatives of disease would be the pitch of geneticists over the next couple of decades.

Part of this investigation will also focus on drug responsiveness and side effects. "This is bound to simplify the drug trials. At some point of time, it is going to be possible to identify who will respond to certain kinds of drugs and others who will show side effects. It helps to understand the processes and abnormal pathways that are relevant in cure and treatment," he explains. While in Chennai, he delivered the 17th K. Gopalakrishna Endowment Oration (organised by the VHS) on `How Genetic Research is Changing Modern Neurology'.

Prof. Wood and his group themselves are at the threshold of a new discovery as part of a Singapore-based study `Population Genetic Approach to Neurological Disease', conducted on three neurological conditions. "Though we cannot reveal much about the discovery as it is yet to be published in a medical journal, we have reason to believe that we are at the first step of understanding drug responsiveness to epilepsy," Prof. Wood says.

The population genetic approach that the study uses, aims at harnessing the similarities and differences between different populations and races. While questions of ethnicity will have to be handled, he feels that despite the presence of certain ethnic variants, there were diseases common to all societies. "For instance, epilepsy and Parkinson's exist in every society. Their prevalence, however, might be higher or lower, depending on ethnic factors and environments."

"The difference between ethnic groups is only the percentage of genomes that are different. We have to use the difference to narrow down on the genetic factors. We must make use of the different population variations to validate and refine our research." In this context, if a multi-racial study can be done simultaneously in different parts of the globe, it would be ideal, Prof. Wood says, but concedes that there were several impediments, including funding, in the process. Alternatively, scientists could arrive at results using controlled samples (with a certain ethnic group- say, Caucasians) and then use these results to work with other groups. Setting up a service lab to translate research into actual clinical practice was essential too. The time taken to convert research into practice was certain to vary depending on the nature of gene analysis: anything between a few weeks with a relatively straightforward analysis, and over several years for complex cases. "However, we must ensure strict quality control. Diagnosis has to be spot on. Remember, people make crucial decisions based on this." No discussion on genetics can side step the question of ethics. Prof. Wood believes sincerely that it is important to "take society along with us. We have to take people's fears seriously. You have to argue your case and convince people that what you are doing is valuable and important to the development of the human race and society". At the same time, "we have to educate people about what genetics can do and cannot do so that they do not live with the impression that we are using an important tool to change fate".

"If we were to evaluate our position in gene research today on a scale of 1-10, we are probably at position 1-2. That is probably the end of the beginning, but certainly not the beginning of the end. We are a really long way off from gene changing, especially with neuro diseases. We might not be there yet, but there is no denying that genome research means a fundamental change in the way we understand biology."

During his visit, Prof. Wood also discussed the starting of a collaborative population neurogentics study between the University College, London, and the VHS. The chief of neuroepidemiology at the VHS Medical Centre, E.S. Krishnamoorthy, reported that the pilot phase of the project, to commence here shortly, would lead to technology transfer, a critical mass of talent, and major research programmes in the future.

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