|
|
NOVA scienceNOW: Public Genomes
|
|
|
|
Program Overview
|
|
|
Commercial SNP-chip testing, or looking at tiny pieces of DNA to
assess a person's risk of illness, is a controversial topic and some
critics say of little value. Nevertheless, people are still signing
up to discover what might be hidden in their genes. Now, George
Church's "Personal Genome Project" is asking thousands of people to
volunteer to have their entire genomes sequenced and posted on the
Internet for all to see, in hopes that this data will help uncover
the complex causes of disease.
This NOVA scienceNOW segment:
-
Reports that personal DNA testing was named
Time magazine's 2008 invention of the year and notes that
thousands of people, including celebrities, have signed up to
find out about their genetic makeup.
-
Explains that DNA is made of long strings of four chemicals
(adenine, guanine, thymine, and cytosine) and that the billions
of combinations of these chemicals encode the structure for
building our bodies and keeping them running.
-
Notes that DNA is basically the same in all humans, but subtle
variations not only make each of us unique, they also predispose
individuals to certain diseases.
-
Explains that in a personal SNP-chip DNA test, scientists look
at tiny sections of DNA and synthesize data to show how likely
you are to get certain illnesses, such as Alzheimer's and heart
disease.
-
Suggests that the "recipes" for certain genetic diseases are
complex and include an individual's environment, lifestyle,
genetic makeup, and more.
-
Raises the question of whether widespread genetic testing is
advisable, given the considerable uncertainty surrounding
interpretation of results.
-
Explains that the Personal Genome Project looks at more complete
DNA information and aims to sift through the genomes of 100,000
volunteers who have also provided detailed information about
their health history, environment, medications, and diet.
-
Considers the concern of genetic discrimination and the common
fear of how genetic information could be used against
individuals.
-
Concludes that many people feel that the risk of making public
their DNA information is worth the potential benefit to
humankind.
Taping Rights: Can be used up to one year after the program
is taped off the air.
|
|
