What are the benefits of SNPs?

SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) help predict an individual response to certain drugs, risk of developing diseases, and susceptibility to environmental factors. They can act as biological markers, assisting scientists to locate genes that are associated with disease. When SNPs occur within a gene or in a regulatory area near a gene, they may have a more involved role in disease by affecting the gene’s function. For example, genome-wide association studies use SNPs to identify genetic variants that may increase the risk of developing certain diseases. Thus, identifying disease-associated SNPs can assist in the genetic understanding and assessment of disease risk.