Renowned gynecologist and geneticist Guillermo Antiñolo is on an unprecedented scientific mission: to unravel the mysteries behind the accelerated aging in women.
With decades of experience in women’s health and genomics, Antiñolo is embarking on a revolutionary project to create the first female medical genome, a scientific milestone that could have far-reaching applications in health and the well-being of women.
Over the years, understanding of the human genome in general has been achieved, but specific models for women are still lacking. Antiñolo argues that women have unique genomic peculiarities that affect their health, including infertility, endometriosis, certain types of cancer, and key stages such as pregnancy, climacteric, and menopause. Identifying these specific biomarkers could lead to significant advances in the efficiency of the healthcare system and improve women’s quality of life.
The project, dubbed “twilight” by Antiñolo, has gathered genetic material from 1,000 healthy women and sequenced 300 of them to create an exclusively female medical reference genome.
These images of female genomic variability will be essential to address pathologies and physiological processes associated with the biological condition of women. However, the project still requires additional funding, with an estimated budget between 300,000 and 500,000 euros, to complete its first phase.
The gynecologist points out that women age twice as fast as men due to the loss of estrogen, fundamental hormones in their metabolism and overall health.
Also, the accelerated aging in women it is associated with an increased risk of various diseases, such as certain types of cancer, obesity, and metabolic problems. Antiñolo maintains that understanding and addressing ovarian function and estrogen levels in women is essential to promote healthy aging and improve quality of life.
The impact of this project could be transformative. The women’s medical genome is expected to reveal new insights into endometriosis, fertility and other specific health problems.
In addition, the knowledge obtained could allow the identification of therapeutic targets and the anticipation of risks from the beginning of pregnancy. This holistic, biology-based approach to women seeks to change the prevailing androcentric paradigm in medicine and give voice to the unique health needs of women.
Antiñolo hopes that her project will inspire the scientific community to adopt a more inclusive and holistic view of women in genomics research and medicine in general.
As the project for the first medical genome for women progresses, Antiñolo and his team find themselves at an exciting turning point.
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