Genomics Industry

In order to determine which genes are relevant and underlie complex human diseases such as diabetes mellitus, Alzheimer's disease, or hypertension, companies have been created to collect patient materials. These firms collect relevant clinical information and DNA on people suffering from defined disease as well as people who have no known disorders. They then look at DNA sequence variations in an attempt to identify the genetic factors that may predispose an individual to develop these types of disorders, or factors that directly lead to the development of disease. One company working in this area is deCODE, which has access to the genetic and health data of the entire population of Iceland.