What makes this research important?
Scientists have identified all of the genes in the human body: more than 20,000 of them! But many questions remain about how genes work and why they seem to have different effects on our health and behavior under different circumstances. We need to know more about when and how different versions of our genes are affected by the experiences we have, because these experiences (how much stress we experience, what kind of relationships we have with friends and family members) also influence our health.
