August 19, 2026
A person’s DNA can help predict suitable treatments, medications and nutrition for them, leading to better personalized care.
Three Genome British Columbia (Genome BC) funded projects are putting personalized care into practice; each translating genetic insights for specific medical uses.
Two of the three projects aim to lower costs and improve access to personalized medicine through off-the-shelf pharmacogenetic testing and genetically informed nutrition planning. A third project is developing testing to predict which specific treatments will work best for people battling aggressive blood cancers.
“We see a lot of research advancements in our funded projects, but true positive impact comes from genomic technologies being made available to the people who need it,” says Sally Greenwood, Chief Operating Officer and Vice President, Public Affairs at Genome BC.
Accessible, affordable pharmacogenomic testing
Pharmacogenetic (PGx) testing assesses the safety and effectiveness of medication for individuals based on their genome. This can prevent adverse drug reactions and help physicians provide specific treatments based on how they will be processed within a person’s body.
PGx testing is an evidence-based, well-established medical tool but remains costly and not easily accessible to most people. Commercial tests can range between $200 and $2,000 and there is currently a shortage of experts available to help patients understand their results.
To make PGx testing more accessible, Dr. Bruce Carleton (University of British Columbia) has partnered with Bob Mehr from Pure Integrative Pharmacies, which has locations throughout Greater Vancouver. They are developing eight low-cost PGx test kits intended to be available off-the-shelf for specific patient needs. “We also hope to sell kits for as low as $40,” Dr. Carleton says.
Training on interpretating PGx tests will be delivered to pharmacists at 15 Pure Integrative Pharmacy locations in British Columbia as part of this study. This will strengthen pharmacists’ capacity to provide this service directly, allowing the benefits of PGx to be more accessible and shared with more people.
Personalized nutrition for type 2 diabetes
Dietary changes can help people manage chronic metabolic conditions, including in some cases, reversing type 2 diabetes. This is associated with positive changes in the body’s insulin levels.
Insulin production is affected by carbohydrates, proteins and fats, all macronutrient classes in a person’s diet. Individual bodies have different insulin responses to these macronutrients, but there is currently no way to predict how one will respond to therapeutic nutrition or personalized strategies to better prevent and treat type 2 diabetes.
A project led by Dr. James Johnson (University of British Columbia) and Sean McKelvey (Institute for Personalized Therapeutic Nutrition – IPTN) involves identifying genes that control insulin production in response to the three macronutrients. Understanding how genetics may determine sensitivities can be crucial to providing accurate, personalized nutrition recommendations.
The team hopes that their findings will contribute to better-informed nutrition guidance and eventually, personalized genetic testing alongside safe and effective advice. Research like this brings relief to the 45% of Canadians who live with at least one major chronic condition that can be managed through preventative dietary measures.
Precise therapy administration for aggressive blood cancers
Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are aggressive blood cancers with low survival rates, diagnosed in more than 7,500 people in Canada each year.
Hypomethylating agent therapies (HMAs) use drugs to alter DNA. They are primarily assigned to high-risk MDS or AML patients. Newer HMA treatment can cost up to $8,000 a month, over a course of 4 to 6 months.
However, over half of patients do not respond to HMA therapy and there is currently no way to determine if someone will respond to this treatment. Being able to identify this early can help specialists move patients to different options sooner.
Backed by data from previous research, Dr. Aly Karsan’s (Canada’s Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre at BC Cancer) team is performing advanced DNA methylation sequencing of MDS and AML patient samples to determine if chemical markers on an individual’s DNA can predict their response to HMA. The goal is to develop a precise genetic test that can guide treatment decisions.
To validate the findings, the project’s co-lead, Dr. Kevin Song (Director of Vancouver General Hospital’s Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Program), will help confirm the predictive power of the test using samples from known HMA responders and non-responders. “These validation steps are crucial to ensure that the technology is implementation-ready,” Dr. Karsan states.
The team will work with samples from partners across multiple jurisdictions to ensure that the developed test can be reliably used across different populations. This step will inform what implementation strategies are necessary for clinical settings in British Columbia.
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Contact: Genie Tay, Communications Manager
Referenced projects: GEN061, GEN059, GEN042
