Genetic Insights into Addiction: Advancing Precision Recovery through Neurogenomic Algorithms

Join us for the Alliance for Addiction Solutions Monthly educational forum, featuring Val Prisecaru, MS, CN, LDN

About the Topic

Addiction is a multifactorial condition influenced by complex interactions between genetic, neurochemical, and environmental factors. This presentation introduces a novel genetic testing platform designed to advance precision approaches in the assessment and management of both substance and non-substance addictions. The test incorporates next-generation algorithms that differentiate addiction subtypes through integrated neurogenomic and neurotransmitter pathways analysis.

Key innovations include the revised Reward Deficiency Syndrome (RDS) algorithm and risk score, the Serotonin Breakdown and Signaling Ratio (SBSR) for evaluating serotonergic tone, the Glutamate-GABA Ratio (GGR) to assess excitatory–inhibitory balance, and the Dopamine–Norepinephrine Ratio (DANE Ratio) to quantify catecholamine dynamics. Additionally, a Total Catecholamine (CATs) breakdown index provides a comprehensive neurochemical profile supporting individualized therapeutic strategies.

By merging these metrics with genomic markers, this new system enables personalized recommendations for nutrition, supplementation, and lifestyle interventions, aligning genetic predispositions with targeted recovery protocols. This integrative framework represents a next-generation approach to genetically informed addiction prevention and recovery, offering a deeper understanding of neurobiological diversity and pathways to sustained behavioral change.

About the Speaker

Val has over 25 years of experience as a precision health practitioner, nutrition scientist, educator, and innovation strategist. Val received his BS and MS degrees in Food Science and Human Nutrition from the University of Illinois where he studied macronutrients, ABO blood groups/glycomics, gut microbiome, oncology pathways, dietary lectins, and near-infrared (NIR and FT-NIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging of food crops. He has been a precision medicine consultant with Datapunk Bioinformatics since 2018 where he joined Dr. Peter D'Adamo to design and provide advanced multi-omics instruction information to health practitioners and updated and maintains Opus23 Pro databases, including genes, SNPs, agents, gene-agent associations, and novel genetic algorithm templates. While at Datapunk, Val was the first to develop an integrated, genomics-based SARS-CoV-2 polygenic risk score and protocol (Nov. 2020) and a macronutrients algorithm and protocol (March 2019). In 2020 he joined John Patrick University (jpu.edu) as Professor and Program Director of Nutrigenomics. In 2021 he teamed up with PromicsEdge / SelfDecode as their genomics advisor and educator. In 2022 he became the Senior Director of R&D for EcoNugenics, and in 2023 he was invited by Dr. David Brady to join Designs for Health as their in-house genomics consultant, omics educator and new product developer, where along with Dr. Oscar Coetzee, he co-developed and commercialized the first genomics-based drug-nutrient interaction tool (DFH, May 2024). Val has since developed several novel multi-omics protocols at Genetic Wellbeing (geneticwellbeing.com) that help empower people to take control of their health, including the new Addictions and Polygenic Risk Score (APRS) Protocol (May 2022), a multi-omics-based GLP-1R agonist "Ozempic" protocol (July 2023), the Thyroid and Iodine Protocol (Nov. 2023), the newly revised Addictions, Weight, and Mental Health Protocol (AWAM Protocol, March 2025), and coming soon the Genetic Breast Cancer Protocol (November 2025). He has authored numerous publications in both scientific journals and popular media and has been an invited speaker at many health and wellness events and conferences (including IHS, A4M, IFT, and FTRB), where he translates complex scientific concepts into practical principles that anyone can understand and apply. Recently, he has been on several podcasts, including Power Up Recovery with Nutrition (Christina Veselak), the Health Me Podcast (Michael Swienton), the Rational Wellness Podcast (Dr. Ben Weitz), Rhett Palmer Live, and Get Better Faster (Dr. Jason Bradley).