Human Genome Project
Introduction
The Human Genome Project was an international research effort created to discover the structure, organization, and function of a human genome. The project was first launched in 1988 by a committee of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. It evolved from a 5-year plan to a 13-year research effort- lasting from 1990 to 2003. The National Institutes of Health and the Department of Energy funded the research to further expand on the concept.
Canada’s Involvement
The Human Genome Organization was created to promote international collaborative efforts between many countries, including Canada, the United States, Britain, France, Japan, Italy, Germany and more. The exchange of data and research techniques accelerated the project.
Applications of the Human Genome Project
Biotechnology companies are examining the function of genes and how changes in the sequence relate to health and disease to make therapeutic molecules used to treat common diseases and illnesses such as age-related macular degeneration, Alzheimer’s disease, and multiple sclerosis. The human genome project helped identify specific mutations and improve our understanding of cancer.
In Britain, a company called BioBank collected DNA from 500,000 citizens to discover the environmental effects on genes. Individuals who have certain genes are more susceptible to certain illnesses because of influences including heredity, diet, lifestyle, and environmental exposures. Researchers are trying to identify these genes to discover preventative strategies.
Effect on COVID-19
The Human Genome Project also helped with COVID-19 research and safety. Genome-reading machines were repurposed to test patient samples for COVID-19 as everyone feared for the worst. Genomics labs across the United States were reinvented into COVID testing centers. The sequence of a virus is quite straightforward compared to the sequence of a human genome. The computing power of the genome-reading machines were used to follow tiny changes in the viral genome as it spreads. Chinese scientists were able to sequence the SARS-CoV-2 virus by January 12, 2020. The sequence was then shared amongst other researchers so that research and development of COVID vaccines could begin as soon as possible.
Outcome
The sequencing of the human genome involved determining the order of all three billion bases that make up DNA. The sequence information was submitted to large databases so that researchers could add to the sequence. The first rough drafts of the human genome were published in 2000 and 2001. The complete sequence of the human genome was finalized and published in April 2003, which was two years ahead of schedule.
Activities
- How does the Human Genome Project affect us today?
- Do you think that Canada’s involvement with the Human Genome Project was necessary with the continued evolution of biomedical technology?
- What do you think could be achieved in the future using the data from the Human Genome Project?
- How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect people and their daily lives? What infrastructures were impacted by the virus, and how did people adapt?
- Could the pandemic had been dealt with differently?
- Do you think the media played a major influence in the pandemic, and how some minority groups were discriminated against?
- How do you see the world in the next 10 years based on the current medical achievements that have been made and any in the future?