list_of_genes = ["IFNL", "TMPT", "G6PD", "UGT1A1", ...]
for gene in list_of_genes:
    sql.execute('''SELECT DISTINCT gene_symbol, haplo_function FROM Haplotypes
                   WHERE gene_symbol LIKE "%" + ? + "%"
                   ''', (gene,))

for gene in list_of_genes:
    sql.execute('''SELECT DISTINCT gene_symbol, haplo_function FROM Haplotypes
                   WHERE gene_symbol LIKE  ?
                   ''', (gene,))

cur.execute('SELECT * FROM t WHERE t.param LIKE ?', ("%" + val + "?",))