Schrodinger's CAT and Gs

Schrödinger’s CAT and Gs

We’ve all heard of Schrödinger’s cat — the thought experiment by Austrian quantum physicist Erwin Schrödinger. A cat is enclosed in a box with a radioactive source and a poison ready to be released when the source emits radiation. Without opening the box, can you say with certainty that the cat is alive or dead? No. Until observed, the cat is assumed to be both alive and dead with equal probability.

Rohan’s T2D: A Genomics Parallel

Now imagine Rohan — an average young guy with his DNA enclosed in the nuclei of his cells, and a scrumptious Belgian chocolate shake in his hand, ready to gift him a lifelong association with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) — if his DNA contains mutations predisposing him to it. Can you say with certainty that Rohan is at low or high risk for diabetes? Unless you map out his genome, you really can’t.

Replace T2D with any other condition — cancers, neurological conditions, cardiac concerns, lifestyle diseases — and this thought experiment still holds true.

The Reactive Approach vs. the Proactive One

The conventional approach: run blood tests annually and wait for clinical endpoints to appear. But a blood test looks for analytes that enter the bloodstream after the disease has already manifested. Then starts the treatment — which is far more expensive, financially and emotionally, than prevention.

The better approach: map Rohan’s genome. If you look at his genes, you can say with certainty whether he’s at high or low risk of developing T2D — even if his blood reports look perfect right now. With the help of a genetic counsellor, Rohan can choose to be proactive: change his diet and lifestyle, incorporate specific blood tests in his annual health check-up, and possibly avoid T2D altogether.

Don’t just be a Smarty Pants — become Prof. GENE-ious Trousers.

By Udbhav Relan, MSc Biotechnology and Enterprise, University of Manchester