Using genome wide studies to generate and test hypotheses that provide mechanistic details of how synonymous codons affect protein structure and function: Functional SNPs in the age of precision medicine

Abstract

Precision medicine has seen growing interest over the years and is expected to eventually be the norm for future therapies. Amongst the multiple different factors considered in the practice of precision medicine, much attention has been focused on providing precision therapy based on an individual's genetic background. In particular, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) important for interindividual variability are the main focus of investigation in studies of drug responses between individuals. Hence, further scrutiny into the functionality of such SNPs will assist us in better understanding the associated differences between individuals and facilitate the development of alternative therapies targeting different groups of individuals with different SNP profiles. This chapter explores the different types of SNPs and how these SNPs may exert their function leading to differences in treatment responses. Additionally, we will also discuss the future outlook for the study of SNPs in pushing forward the practice of precision medicine.