---
title: '009 What Do Your Genes Say About You?'
type: 'episode'
url: 'https://doc.social/episodes/009-what-do-your-genes-say-about-you'
show: 'Faces of Digital Health'
show_url: 'https://doc.social/podcasts/faces-of-digital-health'
published: '2017-04-19'
audio: 'https://traffic.megaphone.fm/DHT1412106324.mp3'
---

# 009 What Do Your Genes Say About You?

In 2004, after 14 years of research, The Human Genome Project was concluded. 99,9% of the human genome was sequenced and we learned that people have between 20,000 and 25,000 genes. Genes are seen as a map to people’s health and diseases; the ultimate s...

## Summary

In 2004, after 14 years of research, The Human Genome Project was concluded. 99,9% of the human genome was sequenced and we learned that people have between 20,000 and 25,000 genes. Genes are seen as a map to people’s health and diseases; the ultimate source of our health problems and wellbeing. Expectations of what could be explained with genetic testing are high, however, genes are a universe of the unknown. Even if a person has a predisposition for something, it is very often the environment which will or will not trigger it. Many diseases are polymorphous — more genes are included in their expression and severity. We are far from knowing all the correlations. So where are we? Sooraj Ratnakumar is a scientist with a PhD in Biotechnology from the University of Cambridge. He is also the CEO of Swagene — an Indian company for medical genetics. Wondering what he thinks? Listen to the 9th episode of Medicine Today on Digital Health. Comments, suggestions welcome at tjasa.zajc@gmail.com or Twitter @zajctjasa