Public Health Genetics and Genomics

This emerging field, known as “public health genomics,” studies the impact of genes and their interactions with behaviour, food, and the environment on population health. The promise of public health genomics is that it will allow practitioners and researchers to collect data on genetic traits and diseases across populations, then use that data to develop strategies to promote population health and prevent disease, as well as more precisely target and evaluate population-based interventions. Public health genomics is a dynamic, multidisciplinary field that brings together all of the public health sciences to tackle the rising problem of interpreting the importance of genetic variation within populations and utilising that information to enhance public health.

The application of breakthroughs in genetics and molecular biotechnology to improving public health and preventing disease has been termed as public health genetics.

• Multifactorial diseases
• Discrete genetic condition of population
• Environmental interventions to reduce risk and improve health
• Genetic heterogeneity
• Clinical genetics
• Genotypic prevention
• Phenotypic prevention
• Genetic counselling
• Prenatal screening