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Welcome to Your Disease Risk, the source on prevention. Here, you can find out your risk of developing five of the most important diseases in the United States and get personalized tips for preventing them. Developed over the past ten years by world-renowned experts, Your Disease Risk collects the latest scientific evidence on disease risk factors into one easy-to-use tool.

2 min video intro of risk factors/ complexity of disease -poor audio but good examples

3:27 video 

Many factors are known to be important in disease causation and these can include an individual's age, gender, genetic make-up and environmental factors that they have been exposed to, such as infectious agents or chemicals.

Most siblings with a diagnosis of autism do not share the same genetic risk factors for the disorder and are as distinct in their behaviors as any brothers and sisters, scientists reported on Monday in a study that came as a surprise to many doctors, if not to parents.

Parkinson's is a result of the loss of cells in various parts of the brain, including one portion that produces the neurotransmitter dopamine. Dopamine is essential for being able to move in a coordinated way, so the loss of dopamine causes the tremors often associated with the condition. While the exact cause of Parkinson's is unknown, genetics and environment are contributing factors. Most cases occur in patients with no family history of Parkinson's disease, but there are 13 gene mutations that have been linked to either causing the disease or increasing one's risk of developing it. Certainly not everyone who carries these gene mutations develops Parkinson's, but identifying these genetic indicators is the beginning of developing more precise treatments.

Cancer defined with risk factors and treatments

Hans Rosling unveils data visuals that untangle the complex risk factors of one of the world's deadliest (and most misunderstood) diseases: HIV. By following the data, he suggests a surprising key to ending the epidemic.

This case study describes a visit by "Naomi" to her physician, who upon seeing Naomi's bloodwork decides to prescribe her a cholesterol-lowering agent, a statin. The case discusses (1) the prevalence of non-communicable diseases such as atherosclerosis, which can lead to strokes and heart disease; (2) circulating lipoprotein particles including LDL and HDL, differentiating between which is a risk factor for heart disease and which is protective;  (3) the pathway for cholesterol synthesis; (4) the evidence demonstrating that statins inhibit the enzyme HMG-CoA reductase, which is the committed step for cholesterol synthesis; and (5) the kinetic mechanism by which statins inhibit the enzyme. Students examine and interpret data from radioactive tracer and enzyme kinetics studies. The case ends with another visit by Naomi to her physician, who reexamines her bloodwork after she has been taking a statin for six months. Students are asked to determine whether the drug was effective for Naomi and, if not, what changes could be made to her regimen. The case was originally written for use in a survey of biochemistry course for upper level undergraduates.