Personalized medicine is a rapidly evolving method of healthcare that tailors treatment to an individual's genetic makeup. This custom analyzes the molecular profile of each patient to determine a personalized diagnosis and treatment. The study of how genetic variations interact with drug response and disease risk is called pharmacogenomics (Genetic Science Learning Center, 2011). This revolutionary advancement in healthcare will soon become a leading practice for future generations. For ages, clinicians have used the same trial-and-error approach to treating patients. Once a specific treatment was identified to cure a disease, that remedy became the standard to follow. But clinicians are realizing that new biological advances can be applied to the clinical approach to diagnosing patients. These clinicians gain knowledge about the molecular core of diseases and use this knowledge to apply genetic technology to patient care. Understanding the role of genetics is crucial for the advancement of personalized medicine. Genetic information (genes) consists of a specific chain of bases. These are small pieces of DNA that code for all the proteins in a cell (McGraw-Hill 2009). DNA is the genetic makeup of an organism. This genetic information is transmitted to an mRNA molecule. An mRNA is the DNA messenger that translates gene expression into protein synthesis. This process is just one of many steps in the chain of bases. To use genetics as a way to diagnose and treat patients, clinicians must first understand the cause of the genetic mutations that lead to many diseases. Genetic mutation is a change in the specific chain of bases within a gene. A gene can mutate due to dup errors...... middle of paper ......e Therapy? Retrieved May 14, 2011, from http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/handbook/therapy/genetherapyGenetic Science Learning Center (January 24, 2011) Personalized Medicine (Pharmacogenetics). Learn.Genetics. Retrieved May 14, 2011, from http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/health/pharma/McGraw-Hill Learning Solutions (2009), Essentials of BiologyThe Jackson Library (2011) What is Personalized Medicine ? , Accessed May 14, 2011 at http://genetichealth.jax.org/personalized-medicine/what-is/index.html United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation, What is Mitochondrial Disease?, Accessed May 14, 2011 at http://www. umdf.org/site/c.otJVJ7MMIqE/b.5692879/k.3851/What_is_Mitochondrial_Disease.htmPollack, A. (2008), Patient's DNA may be a signal to tailor medications, retrieved May 14, 2011 from http: //www. nytimes.com/2008/12/30/business/30gene.html