Genomic Research Milestone

by Elisabeth on May. 18th, 2006
in Human Organism

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The Human Genome Project, started in 1990, identifies genes and DNA sequences yielding a blueprint for human beings. This past week, a milestone in genomic research was reached. Scientists in London sequenced the last and most complex chromosome in the Human Genome-Chromosome 1.

Chromosome 1 contains nearly twice as many genes as an average chromosome and makes up eight percent of the human genetic code. Chromosome 1 is also linked to 350 illnesses including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Understanding this chromosome enables researchers to better comprehend specific diseases in turn improving diagnostic and disease treatments.

Dr. Simon Gregory, head of sequencing project in Sanger Institute in England states, “This achievement effectively closes the book on an important volume of the Human Genome Project.” Understanding our genetic make-up enables specific drug treatments. Perhaps in the future doctors will be able to look at our genetic history and prescribe medications, adjust dosage and select treatments based on a patient’s genetic information.

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Anonymous says:

Sequencing the human genome is an awesome foundation for all kinds of research, but it is a fundamental tool whose public access should be secured.

Last October (2005), Fiona Murray at MIT reported in Science (http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/reprint/310/5746/239.pdf) that 20% of the human genome has already been patented. Patenting genes doesn't mean the genes can't be used for research; in fact, some genes have 20 different patents applied to them. The problem is that patents restrict the scope of experiments available to researchers.

In the Science article, Murray said,

"Our data raise a number of concerns about gene patents, particularly for heavily patented genes. We worry about the costs to society if scientists—academic and industry—have to walk through a complex maze of patents in order to make more progress in their research."

posted on Fri, 05/19/2006 - 11:47am

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