From Our Experts: It's in YOU

From Our Experts: It’s in YOU

Dr. Risha Nahar Lulla, M.Sc (Glasgow, UK), PhD (Delhi, India), is the Principal Genetic Counsellor and Pharmacogenomics Expert at MapmyGenome. She is reputed to be India’s first Board Certified (Senior level) Genetics Counsellor with over 10 years of experience in the field of medical genetics. She has counselled thousands of families with various genetic conditions and published the World’s first Genetic Bleeding Risk Algorithm for anticoagulant users.

“Everything — common diseases, drug response, nutritional requirement, athletic ability, tendency to gain weight, etc. — has a genetic basis. It’s in YOU. This knowledge can turn the ‘what if’ to ‘what could be’. The real question is, do you want to be empowered with this knowledge?” — Dr. Risha Nahar Lulla, Principal Genetic Counsellor, MapmyGenome

Why Genetics Matters for Every Aspect of Your Health

Your DNA is not just a blueprint for your physical appearance — it influences virtually every aspect of your health and wellbeing. Your genetic profile shapes:

• Disease risk — your predisposition to conditions like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and autoimmune disorders

• Drug response — how your body metabolises medications, and which drugs are most effective or potentially harmful for you

• Nutritional requirements — how you absorb vitamins and minerals, and which dietary patterns suit your biology

• Athletic ability — your muscle fibre composition, VO2 max potential, and injury risk

• Weight management — your tendency to gain weight, your metabolic rate, and your response to different exercise types

• Mental health — your resilience to stress, your risk for anxiety and depression, and your emotional regulation

The knowledge of your genetic profile doesn’t determine your fate — it empowers you to make informed, targeted choices that work with your biology rather than against it.