The SomaLogic Blog

“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.

How would the late Surrealist artist, Salvador Dalí, view his genome? I suspect that the artist, who had a flair for painting things in midair as cats and water seemed to hover nearby, would have been fascinated by not only the concept of genomics, but the widespread human view of it.

Oh dear…what is that? Seeing (and feeling) a rash-riddled arm at 2 o’clock in the morning can be alarming. And turning to Dr. Smartphone Google adds even greater urgency to the fear: A rash can reflect a large number of conditions, from very serious to very mild. Even legit doctors have a tough time deciding which is which.

How much is too much? According to author Douglas Adams, the answer to all life’s questions is 42. It seems to work as an answer in any situation, such as “How many lemon curd-filled donuts are too much for me?”

How do others identify you? The simplest answer may reside in what others use to recognize you, your face. In fact, people may use your face to get a putative synopsis of you and make judgments accordingly (Rifkin et al., 2018). So much for the old saying of not judging a book by its cover.