title: Post-genome integrative biology: so that's what they call clinical science.
abstract: Medical science is increasingly dominated by slogans, a characteristic reflecting its growing bureaucratic and corporate structure. Chief amongst these slogans is the idea that genomics will transform the public health. I believe this view is mistaken. Using studies of the genetics of skin cancer and the genetics of skin pigmentation, I describe how recent discoveries have contributed to our understanding of these topics and of human evolution. I contrast these discoveries with insights gained from other approaches, particularly those based on clinical studies. The 'IKEA model of medical advance'--you just do the basic science in the laboratory and self-assemble in the clinic--is not only damaging to clinical advance, but reflects a widespread ignorance about the nature of disease and how clinical discovery arises. We need to think more about disease and less about genes; more in the clinic and less in the laboratory.
authors.affiliation: University of Edinburgh, Royal Infirmary. jonathan.rees@ed.ac.uk
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rees
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D001690:Biological Science Disciplines / Q000639:trends*; D004777:Environment; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000235:genetics; D016158:Genes, p53 / Q000235:genetics; D023281:Genomics / Q000639:trends*; D006200:Hair Color / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D017354:Point Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D012307:Risk Factors; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology