The convergence of genomes and technology during the past decade promises to revolutionize many aspects of medical practice. It will affect how diseases are detected and classified, how drugs are discovered and developed, and most importantly, how patients are treated. Since scientists successfully assembled the first draft of the human genome, the genetic blueprint of a human being, dramatic progress has been made in understanding how that achievement may benefit medicine.

Personalized medicine transforms the traditional "one-size-fits-all" model of medicine by applying individual gene-based information to better manage a patient's disease or predisposition toward a disease and to tailor strategies for the prevention and treatment, of diseases. Knowledge about individual genetic variation will enable doctors to predict how particular patients will react to specific treatments and thereby identify the most effective for each individual. Personalized medicine has the ability to change the overall landscape of medicine from diagnosis and treatment, to prevention.