Different is Good

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or years, geneticists accepted the idea that different forms of the same gene are common but unimportant. Robert Eckhardt has made a career out of studying those differences.

"Two themes run through my work: First, there is much more genetic variation within humans than has been appreciated in the biomedical field; and second, much more of the variation is functional than is expected," explained Eckhardt, a professor of developmental genetics and evolutionary morphology at Penn State.

By "functional," he means what genes reveal about our physical condition that we can use to craft healthier lifestyles. Eckhardt has recently incorporated these ideas into a special topics course, "Kinesiology 497F: Genetics and Human Performance."

Parents in the future may be able to screen their embryos to determine whether their child is carrying a variation of a gene that will enhance athletic performance. If the child isn’t, in theory the parents could implant the gene. Eckhardt strongly opposes such an approach. He encourages instead the idea of euphenics — shaping a lifestyle around genes: Athletes could analyze their genomes to find their strengths and weaknesses. "My colleague Lars Larsson, for example, has shown clear genetic differences between short, middle, and long distance runners," he said.

For the rest of us, understanding our genomes can be a way to improve our health. If we are genetically predisposed to high blood pressure, we can alter our diet and exercise patterns rather than taking medication. "It’s a different idea for Americans, who are used to popping a pill to fix a problem. Also, because many conditions that compromise health as well as performance are polygenic — involving genes at many different locations in the genome — adjustments to diet and exercise are far more likely to yield results than looking for single dramatic ‘fixes’ involving implantation of genes or even administration of gene products."

Eckhardt hopes this course relays to students "the realization that every individual is unique, and that this uniqueness implies a lifestyle with individual limitations and possibilities."

—Lisa Kienzle

Robert B. Eckhardt, Ph.D., is professor in the College of Health and Human Development, 267K Recreation Bldg., University Park, PA 16802; 814-863-9963; eyl@psu.edu.