Contemporary Issues

Important event not only from the genetic point of view was deciphering human genome.

There are two independently working teams involved in this project: Human Genome Project and Celera Genomics. HGP is a group of international scientists, whereas Celera is a private firm. In June 2000, the competing groups united and announced the first “draft” of human genome. The complete version is planned to appear by 2003.

Human Genome Project
http://www.nhgri.nih.gov/HGP/

Celera Genomics
http://www.celera.com/

Many controversies accompany the achievement. Some people are afraid that such a significant presence of private corporations in the discovery will result in not sharing it with the general public. Who will be the owner of our genes?

In many cases the knowledge of the sequence of the gene can help to elaborate a medical treatment. For example, it could enable doing a genetic diagnostic probe (in short: DNA fragment can attach to complementary sequences. When the probe includes a sequence complementary to one that is known to cause a disease, and it combines with the DNA of the sample, it means that the person from which genetic material was taken has the disease), or it could simply be a drug in gene therapy (providing person that does not have a mutant copies with functional gene). Then, drugs could be patented.

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