Will My Son Develop Cancer? The Promise (and Pitfalls) of Sequencing Children’s Genomes

By Bonnie RochmanOct. 22, 2012

Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2012/10/22/will-my-son-develop-cancer-the-promise-and-pitfalls-of-sequencing-childrens-genomes/#ixzz2AgoQA600

Can you imagine wanting to know whether your newborn baby will fall victim to Alzheimer’s disease decades down the road? What about cancer or diabetes?
Emma Warin can. In August she gave birth to a healthy 8-lb., 3-oz. boy. She agreed to participate in an unprecedented study in which researchers will map out every speck of DNA in her son’s genome, potentially revealing mutations that could cause health problems now and far into the future. Warin, a medical-device sales representative in Falls Church, Va., says the information will help her plan ahead for any issues. Still, she adds, “It’s a little scary.” (TIME Explains: The Science of Genome Sequencing)