A Queensland researcher says actress Angelina Jolie is a great example of the potential benefits of genetic testing.

The Hollywood star revealed this week that she has undergone a preventative double mastectomy after discovering a genetic variation dramatically increased her risk of breast cancer.

Professor Matthew Brown from the University of Queensland has been awarded a Premier's Science Fellowship to research genetic testing for rheumatoid arthritis and tuberculosis.

He says DNA sequencing will be a routine part of medical care within four to five years.

"When you go to a GP or a specialist they will use that genetic information to say, 'well you've got this risk of getting the disease and these symptoms and I think it's likely that you've got a very early case of this'," he said.

"When it's early on we can often treat those diseases much more effectively than once they're established."

Court challenge

Meanwhile, a legal challenge is continuing in Brisbane over patents on genetic material associated with an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer.

The BRCA1 and BRCA2 cancer genes are subject to commercial patent.

A Federal Court judge extended the patent in a landmark ruling in February, but lawyer Rebecca Gilsenan is working on an appeal against that decision.

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DNA sequencing set to become routine medicine

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