Why is LDL cholesterol called “bad”? Because when there’s too much of it in the blood, it can build up in the walls of arteries, forming plaques that narrow the vessels and increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Millions of people with high cholesterol take drugs called statins to help lower their LDL cholesterol. But for some, statins aren’t enough, or don’t work at all. This has driven scientists to search for new ways to treat high cholesterol and prevent heart disease. A major breakthrough came from studying genetic data similar to what 46forALL aims to build. Researchers discovered that people with certain changes in a gene called PCSK9 had naturally low LDL cholesterol and a much lower risk of heart disease. This finding led directly to the development of a new class of medicines called PCSK9 inhibitors, that are now used to help patients who can’t control their cholesterol with statins alone. Thanks to genetic discoveries like this, researchers can now better predict who’s at risk for high cholesterol and tailor treatments based on each person’s unique biology. Your genetic data could help fuel the next big breakthrough.