G.E.M.M.A stands for Genome, Enviroment, Microbiome, and Metabolome in Autism. To find out what each of these terms means head over to our Instagram or our Twitter for more!
Genome
A person's genome is their entire set of DNA instructions found in each cell of their body. This contains all the information related to a person's development and functioning.
Environment
One's environment consists of the physical, chemical, microbiological factors and the social and cultural conditions that influence them and their community. ICAN is investigating the pre-natal factors associated with the development of Autism.
Microbiome
The microbiome is comprised of all the microscopic living things inside our bodies. This includes bacteria, fungi, viruses. These are also known as microbes. Not all microbes are bad, many of them are necessary for healthy living!
Metabolome
The metabolome refers to the small molecules found in a cell, organ, or organism. It contains a multitude of complex biomolecules, including those resulted from the genome-environment interactions.
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