We have an exciting announcement, we are launching a Patreon! For those that are not familiar with Patreon, it’s a platform that allows creators (like podcasters) to offer their followers more content, experiences, and even gifts. In order to provide what YOU want, please take 60 seconds to fill out our survey. By filling out the survey not only are you influencing what benefits we will offer, but you will be the first to know when we will launch! Can’t thank you all enough for your listenership over the years, it’s such a privilege to be able to launch a Patreon to engage with you all more. This week we’re chatting about an emerging area of genetics, pharmacogenomics! Pharmacogenomics (PGx), one of the core elements of personalized medicine, is a field of research that studies how a person’s genes affect how they respond to medications. Its long-term goal is to help doctors select the drugs and doses best suited for each person. Joining us for this conversation is Avni Santani PhD, FACMG, Chief Medical Officer of Veritas Genetics, a LetsGetChecked company, which delivers tailored at-home healthcare solutions to 300+ organizations. Dr. Santani holds a Master’s degree in Medical Molecular Genetics from the University of Aberdeen and a PhD in Genetics from Texas A&M University. She holds specialty board certifications in Clinical Molecular Genetics and Clinical Cytogenetics from The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).On This Episode We Discuss:Pharmacogenomics and other similar termsThe state of genetic testing today and how it has changed in the last ten yearsWhy it is helpful to have pharmacogenomic testing information when figuring out the best drugs to prescribeSteps of drug metabolism that gene variants can affectHow gene variants can impact the drug response (drug reception, uptake, and breakdown)If testing can provide information on the dosage of drugs to prescribe and how this varies between peopleTypes of conditions/diseases where genetic testing results can be applied (behavioral health, cardiovascular health, and pain management) The role of testing in determining personal risk levels of becoming addicted to pain medicationsGenes that LetsGetChecked’s myPGx test analyzesThe frequency at which gene variants found through this testing help narrow down which drug or dose to prescribeIf you want to learn more about pharmacogenomics, head over to the LetsGetChecked website. Be sure to follow our guest, Avni Santani, on Twitter; LetsGetChecked on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube; and VeritasGenetics on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.Stay tuned for the next new episode of DNA Today on March 31st, 2023, where we’ll be diving deeper into pharmacogenomics (PGx) with James Fettig who will provide an overview of PGx for cancer! New episodes are released every Fridays. In the meantime, you can binge over 225 other episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, streaming on the website, or any other podcast player by searching, “DNA Today”. Episodes since 2021 are also recorded with video which you can watch on our YouTube channel.  DNA Today is hosted and produced by Kira Dineen. Our social media lead is Corinne Merlino. Our video lead is Amanda Andreoli. Our outreach Intern is Sanya Tinaikar. Our Social Media Intern is Kajal Patel. And our Graphic Designer Ashlyn Enokian.See what else we are up to on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and our website, DNAToday.com. Questions/inquiries can be sent to info@DNAtoday.com. Surely you have heard of whole genome sequencing, but what about rapid and ultra-rapid whole genome sequencing? This is an emerging method of diagnosing genetic conditions for quick management. PerkinElmer Genomics offers this incredibly valuable test, which can be life saving for ill babies and kids. Learn more in our full episode (#226) with PerkinElmer Genomics. You can visit perkinelmergenomics.com for more information. (Sponsored)As a listener of DNA Today, you probably heard me talk about NIP