Watch the full episode and view show notes here: https://bit.ly/47ReyJi Become a member to receive exclusive content: https://peterattiamd.com/subscribe/ Sign up to receive Peter's email newsletter: https://peterattiamd.com/newsletter/ Wendy Chung is a board-certified clinical and molecular geneticist with more than 25 years of experience in human genetic disease research. In this episode, Wendy delves deep into the world of genetics by first exploring the historical landscape of genetics prior to decoding the human genome, contrasting it with what we know today thanks to whole genome and exome sequencing. She provides an overview of genetic testing by differentiating between various genetic tests such as direct-to-consumer, clinical, whole genome sequencing, and more. Additionally, Wendy unravels the genetic underpinnings of conditions such as PKU, breast cancer, obesity, autism, and cardiovascular disease. Finally, Wendy goes in depth on the current state and exciting potential of gene therapy while also contemplating the economic implications and ethical nature of gene editing. We discuss: 0:00:00 - Intro 0:00:38 - Wendy’s interest in genetics and work as a physician-scientist 0:03:25 - The genetics of phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare inherited disorder 0:17:28 - The evolution of genetic research: from DNA structure to whole genome sequencing 0:28:43 - Insights and surprises that came out of the Human Genome Project 0:35:09 - Overview of various types of genetic tests: direct-to-consumer, clinical, whole genome sequencing, and more 0:40:50 - Whole genome sequencing 0:46:59 - Germline mutations and the implications for older parents 0:52:31 - Whole exome sequencing and the importance of read depth 0:56:21 - Genetic testing for breast cancer 1:04:12 - What information does direct-to-consumer testing provide (from companies like 23andMe and Ancestry.com)? 1:09:42 - The GUARDIAN study and newborn genetic screening 1:21:57 - Treating genetic disease with gene therapy 1:26:28 - How gene therapy works, and the tragic story of Jesse Gelsinger 1:33:05 - Use cases for gene therapy, gene addition vs. gene editing, CRISPR, and more 1:43:03 - Two distinct gene editing strategies for addressing Tay-Sachs and fragile X syndrome 1:47:40 - Exploring obesity as a polygenic disease: heritability, epigenetics, and more 1:55:55 - The genetics of autism 2:10:24 - The genetics of cardiovascular disease 2:15:28 - The financial costs and economic considerations of gene therapy 2:21:37 - The ethics of gene editing 2:31:55 - The future of clinical genetics -------- About: The Peter Attia Drive is a deep-dive podcast focusing on maximizing longevity, and all that goes into that from physical to cognitive to emotional health. With over 70 million episodes downloaded, it features topics including exercise, nutritional biochemistry, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, mental health, and much more. Peter Attia is the founder of Early Medical, a medical practice that applies the principles of Medicine 3.0 to patients with the goal of lengthening their lifespan and simultaneously improving their healthspan. Learn more: https://peterattiamd.com Connect with Peter on: Facebook: http://bit.ly/PeterAttiaMDFB Twitter: http://bit.ly/PeterAttiaMDTW Instagram: http://bit.ly/PeterAttiaMDIG Subscribe to The Drive: Apple Podcast: http://bit.ly/TheDriveApplePodcasts Overcast: http://bit.ly/TheDriveOvercast Spotify: http://bit.ly/TheDriveSpotify Google Podcasts: http://bit.ly/TheDriveGoogle Disclaimer: This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional healthcare services, including the giving of medical advice. No doctor-patient relationship is formed. The use of this information and the materials linked to this podcast is at the user's own risk. The content on this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they have, and they should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions. I take conflicts of interest very seriously. For all of my disclosures and the companies I invest in or advise, please visit my website where I keep an up-to-date and active list of such companies. For a full list of our registered and unregistered trademarks, trade names, and service marks, please review our Terms of Use: https://peterattiamd.com/terms-of-use/