A gene is a section of your DNA that performs a specific function. Some genes contain the instructions for making proteins, while others help serve as regulators for other genes. The genome is the collection of all of an individual’s genes.
The relationship between genetics and genomics is similar to that of a gene and the genome. Genetics is the study of individual genes and how they are inherited from generation to generation. Genomics is the study of an individual person’s genome, trying to understand how genes interact with each other and external stimuli.
Why does this matter for ME/CFS? Genetics and genomics are highly relevant in the study of disease. Many complex diseases are caused by a combination of factors, both genetic and environmental, so genomics studies evaluating the interaction of these factors can be quite valuable.
That being said, let’s not discount genetics in ME/CFS. When a gene contains “incorrect” instructions that alters its function in a way that causes disease, you have a pathogenic variant of that gene. In this area, researchers in the OMF Collaborative Center at Stanford are exploring pathogenic variants of genes involved in BH4 synthesis in people with ME/CFS and Long COVID. Ultimately, through genetics, they hope to be able to identify a common disease mechanism. Read more about this study here.
