The SomaLogic Blog

I’m like my dad in many ways — same nose, same horrible eyesight, same sense of humor. But when it comes to healthy lifespan, I’d really like to be more like my mom.

“Who are you?” This question, asked by the caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland, befuddled Alice. How would you answer this simply complicated question?

Wouldn’t it be great if everyone with diabetes could earn a lifetime achievement award for disease management? Given the skyrocketing costs of diabetes care in the U.S., this sounds like a win-win scenario. And maybe proteomics can make it happen.

There are those who believe that we are masters of the environment. However, this idea is just as true as the belief that identical twins are identical. Far from masters, we are the products of our environment. This becomes more evident in a recent study involving identical twins and space.

“Identical twins” are not really identical! There, I said it. Comparing identical twins is akin to matching apples to pineapples instead of apples to apples. Each twin obviously has their own personality, viewpoints, fingerprints and footprints. Digging deeper, it is clear that “identical” twins do not have identical genomes, especially as time goes on.

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) develops in about a quarter of all diabetics, doing so unbeknownst to those patients and their primary care providers (Duru, Middleton, Tewari, & Norris, 2018). As this disease progresses silently, surprised patients may find that dialysis or a kidney transplant is necessary. Could earlier detection and better awareness be the key to stalking the stalker?

Believe it or not, genomic signs do exist, but they lack the nifty monikers of animals, elements, constellations, etc., that we associate with the Zodiac. Unlike astrological signs, however, each genomic sign is largely unique to its individual (except for identical twins that share basically the same genome).

Male birds-of-paradise use everything imaginable to charm their intended audience – a potential mate. Iridescent plumage bathed in sunlight, hypnotic dance moves and altering their surroundings all help them stand out amongst a dark overly crowded jungle. Could you imagine their success rates if they could master electricity and neon lighting?

If you have seen a drug commercial with a long list of potential ominous side effects, you would probably answer “Yes!” In fact, many of the more recent lucrative drugs only successfully helped about 4 to 25% of people treated (Schork, 2015). With such a low chance of the drug actually working, who wants to take on such a high stakes gamble? Do you feel lucky?

Congratulations! If you have decided to read this piece, you are curious about what proteomics is, and maybe even why it should matter to you. In fact, you are in good company as evidenced by a video-taped survey, where randomly selected individuals suggest definitions that amusingly demonstrate that they really have no idea what “proteomics” means.