DNA Microarrays and Pharmacogenomics

DNA Microarrays and Pharmacogenomics

Alvin Sherman Library 4009

DNA microarray technology applied to the field of pharmacogenomics will provide for a better analysis of drug responses and drug efficacy in treating individuals with varying genotypes. DNA microarray technology is useful in the detection of various Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) that have a propensity to inhibit or complement drug efficacy in individuals using particular medications. Since microarrays allow for the study of groups of genes expressed or repressed among various environments, this technology has allowed for the fields of pharmacogenetics as well as pharmacogenomics to flourish by studying individuals administered medications for their particular illness. While the field of pharmacogenetics examines the effect of drugs to treat variations in a single or few alleles, pharmacogenomics focuses on the identification of many genetic variations within and among individual patients that impact the efficacy of drugs. The purpose of this literature review project is to study ways in which pharmacogenomics has been conclusive in detecting varying levels of drug efficacy for individuals with different genotyopes such as altered debrisoquine metabolism, ultrarapid metabolizers, DNA amplification, treatment of airway disease as seen in the 5-lipoxygenase gene and in the study of Arylamine N-acetyltransferases.