#465: Personalizing GLP-1 Medications: The Role of Genetics in Weight Loss and Side Effects With Noura Abul-Husn M.D. Ph.D

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Today, I’m joined by the incredible Dr. Nora Abdul-Hussein, a physician-scientist, medical geneticist, and one of the leading voices in the field of genomic medicine. In this episode, Dr. Abdul-Hussein and I dig into a huge question—why do two people taking the exact same GLP-1 medication have such wildly different results, from weight loss to side effect profiles? She shares her unique path from internal medicine to cutting-edge population genomics, and how her work at 23andMe is beginning to answer some of medicine’s toughest puzzles.

Episode Timestamps:

Introduction: podcast focus on genetics, peptides, and longevity ... 00:00:00

Dr. Nora Abdul-Hussein’s background and journey in genomic medicine ... 00:07:01

Prevention and population-scale genetics ... 00:08:06

Power of genetic insights for personal lifestyle choices ... 00:14:40

Barriers to adopting genetics in clinical practice ... 00:16:41

Pharmacogenomics and the move toward personalized prescribing ... 00:17:21

Launching a large-scale study on GLP-1 genetics ... 00:19:41

Discovery: GLP-1 receptor gene variants linked to weight loss and nausea ... 00:22:40

Risk calculators and personalized expectations for GLP-1s ... 00:27:26