Genes are the building blocks of our bodies and are responsible for the diversity of physical and other characteristics found in humans. They are incredibly complex for us to understand, but geneticists and the scientific community are developing new ways to sequence them, thus determining the exact ways in which genes create life. Everybody is unique, has its own needs, and this is true for the bodies of people with rare conditions too. A whopping 80 per cent of rare illnesses are genetic in nature causing lifelong health complications.

In this episode, Dr Deepanjana Dutta, a genetic counsellor, traces the gene story. She discusses what we know about genes until now and how medical cures are developed. She also shares her experiences of counselling people who have had to face not just medical but social challenges since genetics is little understood in the country and diversity in the body is often unwanted.

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