CNVs are structural variations in the DNA sequence of cells that result in an abnormal number of copies of one or more segments of the DNA. This leads to a DNA or genomic "fingerprint" that is highly unique to an individual.
The catalogue of CNVs in an individual is rapidly becoming an indispensible tool to clarify a host of healthcare issues, including potential susceptibility or resistance to diseases. Having a “baseline” catalogue of one’s unique CNV profile when healthy can be important to facilitate the interpretation of genomic data in future illnesses.
