Genetics

While some genetic conditions are present at birth, others may not appear until adulthood, including heart conditions, neurological disorders, and certain types of cancer. Some of these conditions can be inherited, while others may arise from changes in genes over time. Understanding adult genetics can help you manage and prevent these health problems, so you can live healthier and longer.

Genes are like instruction manuals for our bodies, providing the information needed to make proteins and certain genes. When changes occur in genes, called genetic variants, they can lead to metabolic disorders. Identifying these variants is important because it helps us understand and treat these conditions. At Corewell Health, we are leaders in this area, offering a premiere biochemical-genetics program, ensuring patients receive the care they need to live healthier lives.

Some cancers have a hereditary (genetic) cause. Hereditary cancer factors include family members with the same type of cancer, rare cancers, and young age of diagnosis. Corewell Health experts can help determine the chance of a hereditary cancer in you and your family, guide you through genetic testing, create a personalized cancer screening, and build a plan that reduces risk.

Your genes provide instructions for how your cardiovascular system (heart and blood vessels) functions and is maintained over time. Variants in certain genes can lead to congenital heart defects or an increased risk to develop conditions like cardiomyopathy and abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias). Understanding these genetic factors can help diagnose and treat these conditions and help guide the care of family members.

Neurogenetics looks at the relationship between genetics and the nervous system. Using the latest technologies, we can explore how genetic variants affect the development, function, and diseases of the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves.

Genetic variants can lead to health problems that appear in childhood. These include conditions present at birth, like Down syndrome, and issues that emerge as children grow, such as muscular dystrophy. At Corewell Health, we offer Michigan's first tuberous-sclerosis (TSC) accredited pediatric neurogenetics program, providing comprehensive care for TSC patients. We are also accredited as a Level 4 pediatric epilepsy center.

Corewell Health Children’s in Southeast Michigan
Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children's Hospital in West Michigan

Rare diseases impact 300 million people worldwide (roughly 1 in 10 in the United States) and are caused by variants in specific genes. The Corewell Health rare disease team collaborates with local, national, and international experts to help patients and their families. This includes identifying rare diseases such as Bachmann-Bupp Syndrome (BABS), further understanding the causes of those diseases, finding treatments, and sharing this work with other patients and medical specialists worldwide.

Genes carry instructions for many traits, like eye color, but they also affect fertility and the risk of passing on health conditions. Our team uses reproductive genetics to help you understand your chances of passing certain conditions to your children. With tests like genetic screenings, we can check for specific gene changes before or during pregnancy, helping you take steps to protect you and your baby's health. By working closely with maternal fetal medicine on neonatal and newborn screenings, we can provide better, more accurate treatments.