Minute to Understanding: Can our genetic makeup protect us from disease?

Can our genetic makeup protect us from disease? In a word, yes, thanks to genetic resilience. Our genetics can point to which diseases we're most susceptible to and which ones we may be able to resist. Genetic resilience is a phenomenon where someone is protected against disease despite risk factors such as age, behavior, and other genetic susceptibilities. It's the ability to not develop a disease, even when you seemingly should!

Researchers at JAX and elsewhere are hard at work to identify exactly what protective gene variants lead to resilience in mice and humans alike. They are now investigating the genetic differences that may explain this protection. Once discovered and characterized, it may be possible to use these genetic pathways to create therapies for hard to treat diseases like Alzheimer's, type 2 diabetes, and many more. As we discover more through genetic research, we will move closer to providing disease resilience to more people!

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