New Delhi, Sept. 27: Scientists spearheading efforts to unravel secrets of the human genome kicked off a four-day meeting in Hyderabad today, providing glimpses of how their work will change medicine and provide peepholes into human history.

Genome research has already begun to change the way medicine is practised and the way new drugs are being discovered, scientists attending the 13th Human Genome Meeting said.

“Virtually every aspect of medicine will be touched by genome science,” said Edison Liu, director of the Genome Institute of Singapore and president of the Human Genome Organisation that completes 20 years this year.

“Just like refrigeration and (computer) chips are now embedded in our lives, genomics will also be part of basic science and clinical practice,” Liu said over the phone. Products that can predict the risk of recurrence of breast cancer, based on genome science done about five years ago, are in the market, Liu said.

Research papers to be presented at the meeting will highlight how genome research could lead to better diagnosis and treatment of a number of diseases — from cancers to Alzheimer’s disease.

Over 1,200 experts from 50 countries are to be at the meet, chaired by Samir Brahmachari, who has helped India establish one of Asia’s largest genomics research programmes.