The precision medicine framework aims to maximize therapeutic benefit by modifying treatment regimens based on changes in individual patient genomic, demographics, and environmental factors. Such improvement in drug use could yield significant and even lifelong benefits in the pediatric population. The importance of genetic factors to precision medicine is self-evident, reflected in the overwhelming research reports and the continuous attempts and efforts to promote individualized medicine. As one of the critical elements of individualized drug therapy, pharmacogenomics obviously drives the practical clinical application of precision medicine. However, we cannot overemphasize the importance of growth and development for the pediatric population's drug efficacy and adverse reactions. For drug-metabolizing enzymes (DMEs) and drug transporters (DTs), these proteins' developmental changes in expression levels and activities drive age-specific pharmacokinetics. Genetics and ontogeny contribute to the observed individual variability in exposure and clinical response. Therefore we ask the question, which of the two is more important? Ontogeny sometimes trumps genetics as a determinant of the enzymatic function in pediatric patients. Therefore, it is crucial to distinguish at what age ontogeny is the primary determinant and at what age genetic variation becomes predominant. Consequently, to advance the clinical application of precision medicine in the pediatric population, it is not too late, and there needs to be a deeper look into the impact of genetics and ontogeny factors.
This Research Topic aims to collect articles showing the considerations for implementing precision therapeutics for children. In particular, themes that the editors would like to see addressed in this Research Topic collection are the following:
• Current literature reporting the “state-of-the-art” pharmacogenomics and ontogeny applied to pediatric pharmacology.
• Effects of genetics and ontogeny factors of DMEs on individualized medicine in pediatrics.
• Effects of genetics and ontogeny factors of DTs on individualized medicine in pediatrics.
• Combining therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) with genetics and ontogeny in pediatric precision medicine
• How to assess the influence of genetic and ontogeny factors in quantitative pharmacology and population pharmacokinetic (PPK) and pharmacodynamic studies.
• How to evaluate the influence of genetics and ontogeny factors in omics research.
We welcome Original Research, Brief Research Reports, Reviews, and Study Protocol article types.
The precision medicine framework aims to maximize therapeutic benefit by modifying treatment regimens based on changes in individual patient genomic, demographics, and environmental factors. Such improvement in drug use could yield significant and even lifelong benefits in the pediatric population. The importance of genetic factors to precision medicine is self-evident, reflected in the overwhelming research reports and the continuous attempts and efforts to promote individualized medicine. As one of the critical elements of individualized drug therapy, pharmacogenomics obviously drives the practical clinical application of precision medicine. However, we cannot overemphasize the importance of growth and development for the pediatric population's drug efficacy and adverse reactions. For drug-metabolizing enzymes (DMEs) and drug transporters (DTs), these proteins' developmental changes in expression levels and activities drive age-specific pharmacokinetics. Genetics and ontogeny contribute to the observed individual variability in exposure and clinical response. Therefore we ask the question, which of the two is more important? Ontogeny sometimes trumps genetics as a determinant of the enzymatic function in pediatric patients. Therefore, it is crucial to distinguish at what age ontogeny is the primary determinant and at what age genetic variation becomes predominant. Consequently, to advance the clinical application of precision medicine in the pediatric population, it is not too late, and there needs to be a deeper look into the impact of genetics and ontogeny factors.
This Research Topic aims to collect articles showing the considerations for implementing precision therapeutics for children. In particular, themes that the editors would like to see addressed in this Research Topic collection are the following:
• Current literature reporting the “state-of-the-art” pharmacogenomics and ontogeny applied to pediatric pharmacology.
• Effects of genetics and ontogeny factors of DMEs on individualized medicine in pediatrics.
• Effects of genetics and ontogeny factors of DTs on individualized medicine in pediatrics.
• Combining therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) with genetics and ontogeny in pediatric precision medicine
• How to assess the influence of genetic and ontogeny factors in quantitative pharmacology and population pharmacokinetic (PPK) and pharmacodynamic studies.
• How to evaluate the influence of genetics and ontogeny factors in omics research.
We welcome Original Research, Brief Research Reports, Reviews, and Study Protocol article types.
