Human Genome Project | Human Genome Project

Benefits of the Human Genome Project

The Human Genome Project was a multi-year, multi-billion dollar international research project. It was arguably the largest and most important of its kind ever performed. However many people don’t understand what the benefits to studying the human genome was, let alone how the findings are applied to anything practical today. Nevertheless, there are many uses for that information, all of them incredibly important.

The Human Genome Project gave scientists a working roadmap of human life. One area this is particularly helpful for was the area of disease prevention, diagnosis and treatment. By studying the genes that cause certain diseases and how they behave inside the human body, scientists are now able to better predict, prevent and in some cases pre-treat the disease before it even presents itself. This sort of advancement in medicine happens once in a generation, and the HGP provided enough information to last for years to come.

Another area where the study of DNA has become crucial is the study of crime forensics. DNA has become one million times more incriminating and accurate that fingerprints or other types of evidence. Because a person’s DNA is specific to them and only them, finding DNA at the scene of a crime is about as close as it gets to being caught red-handed. This sort of criminal acccuracy would not have been possible without the Human Genome Project.

Finally, the data collected in the Human Genome Project has served as the inspriation and cause of many of today’s leading solutions in the area of biofuel. By studying the genomes of plants and other naturally occuring living organisms, scientist have been able to make advancements in the way we power our cars, businesses and lives.

Although the Human Genome Project sounds like science fiction, or like research that has little practical application, nothing could be farther from the truth. By studying the human genome, scientists have been able to better understand diseases, fuels, and criminal evidence, and advancements in those fields as well as many others continue even today.

Is There an Addiction Gene?

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Through the Human Genome Project, scientists hope to learn more about the billions of individual genes that are found inside every person. While the human genome has a specific structure that we can begin to understand, how those genes react with each other and how they affect individuals varies from person to person. By learning more about the human genome, scientists hope to teach us more about ourselves…both the good, and the bad.

Many scientists believe the “addiction gene,” Tetrahyroisoquinoline (or THQ), is a reality. Some people who inherit the gene go on to act out addictive and potentially self-destructive behaviors. If you are addicted to cigarettes, you may simply be acting out a hereditary instinct. There may be no way to change genetics (at least, not right now), but there is a way cigarette addicts can get help.

Electronic cigarette cartridges look like a 5-pack of cigarettes, a mini version of what you might buy in a convenience store. Electronic cigarettes also have another major difference that distinguishes them from store-bought brands: they won’t kill you. Unlike cancer-causing cigarettes, which are stuffed with chemical agents, electronic cigarette cartridges contain only a small amount of nicotine and water vapor. Smokers will puff away on a cigarette that looks and feels just like the real thing, but they won’t be compromising their health by doing so.

Cigarettes are dangerous; if they weren’t, every single pack wouldn’t carry a warning from the Surgeon General. Addiction may, in fact, be a genetic trait, and the Human Genome Project may be successful in further isolating and identifying the problem. In the meantime, turn to products that will help you kick the habit, and start a new chapter in your life.

Filed Under: Biotech, General, Human Genome Tagged With: Biology, Cigarette, Eukaryotic, Gene, Genetics, Human genome, Human Genome Project, Substance dependence

Biotech Advances in Crop Research Continue as Result of Human Genome Research

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When most people think of the human genome project that was completed in 2003, they think about health medicine and the human genome. Advances have been made in other areas of biotech research such as crop and agricultural sciences. The research that allows scientists to map the human genome can be used to map the genetic makeup of the plants that provide us with food, clothing, and other products which lead to improvements in crop yield and quality. There are a wide range of benefits to exploring this area more.

Biotech research continues to search for ways to develop insect, disease, drought resistant crops, more nutrient rich produce, vaccines which are edible through food products, and using plants as solutions to environmental problems/cleanups. Understanding and mapping the genome structures of plants will no doubt lead to the development of improved fruits and vegetables such as crispier apples, crunchier carrots, and juicier grapes; but this science goes beyond improving the experience of food. Plant genome engineering can go so far as to increase the quantity and quality of protein in certain crops making them more nutritious for the humans and animals who consume them.

In the recent difficult economy, farmers welcome plant varieties that are stronger, disease tolerant, and resistant to pests because it cuts down on the costs they incur when producing the crops. Using gene modification, scientists can control the rate at which plants ripen which can lengthen growing seasons. Consumers will benefit from lower prices on the final products which is a win-win for the economy. Additionally, there are alternative uses for plants like tobacco. One researcher engineered tobacco plants that were capable of producing an enzyme that actually breaks down the structure of explosives. This type of environmentally dangerous waste would typically take hundreds of years to decompose can be broken down with you use of a biotech engineered plant crop.

The human genome project has open up a brave new world of opportunity in biotech agricultural research. The mapping it provided will help the next generation of agricultural scientists to open doors to previously unimagined frontiers.

Filed Under: Health Tagged With: Agriculture, Animal, Biology, Eukaryotic, Gene, Genetics, Human genome, Human Genome Project

Genome Research and the Wine Industry

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Sweet, bitter, salty, and sour: these words describe the sensations that we experience when we taste; but to the wine industry the science behind what makes us taste products the way we do and the genetic differences in the plants they use to produce said products is of great interest. Advances in biotech science have provided incredible insights to wine makers and growers worldwide. This is just another way that the human genome project has advanced science applications beyond health medicine.

The making of a good wine starts with good plants and biotech research advances and developments in grapevine technology provide insights to explore for improvement. Using information from the human genome project, scientists are able to pinpoint the markers in grapevines that are more disease tolerant, require less water, and are less susceptible to pests. Finally, researchers have been successful in mapping the genome of actual grape varietals such as the pinot noir grape. This type of forefront research will provide the biotech community with information as to why certain varieties grow better in specific climates and have different qualities.

Developments in health medicine have revealed that, genetically speaking, people fall into one of three categories of intensity of taste. People with a genetic profile as “super-tasters” are very sensitive to very basic tastes, “taste-blind” are unable to taste the flavors of food or wine, and “regular-tasters”experience taste in a moderate manner. This information could change the way wines are judged in competitions and cause the makers to even question the value of such competitions because without knowledge of the individual who is tasting on a human genome level they would not know if their taste experience is similar to that of the winemaker.

The human genome project has opened a new world to plant and foods research. Biotech engineers use techniques, strategies and data from the human genome project to bring forth advances in the foods and in this case, drinks that we enjoy. With health medicine research indicating the many benefits of moderate wine consumption there are plenty of reasons for a toast to biotech science.

Filed Under: Health Tagged With: Health, Human genome, Human Genome Project, Medicine, Research, Technology, United States, Wine

Human Genomes Useful in Determining Jewish Ancestry

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The breakthroughs in human genome research have led to health medicine advances and disease prevention, but there are unexpected doors being opened and new and exciting realms being explored as a result of biotech research.

One interesting outcome of the human genome project is the ability to determine genetic ancestry. Although these advances can be used to pinpoint ancestry in any race, the Jewish population is especially interested in these breakthroughs as questions have been raised for over a century questioning whether the Jewish people are a religious group, an actual race, or in some cases both.

Biotech advances in human genome studies have allowed researchers to pinpoint similarities by way of genomic analysis between Middle Eastern Jews and European Jews. Even though the two groups have been scattered around the world for over 2,500 years; these genetical markers demonstrate that all Jews have certain characteristics in common in their blood along with their religious and cultural similarities.

There is another reason why these biotech advances are exciting today. The migration of the Jewish people from their region of origin has taken place for 3,000 years. This migration is commonly referred to as the Diaspora. Since the establishment of Israel as a state in 1948 many of the Jewish people have chosen to make what is referred to as Aliyah, or a return to their homeland. Many people are often delayed and even not permitted to return because they lack the documentation to prove their Jewishness. Many Eastern European Jews lost all of their family records such as birth certificates as a result of the Holocaust. These biotech advances could open doors for many to receive the opportunity to return to Israel.

The millions of dollars that has flowed into the Human Genome Project has accomplished much more than breakthroughs in the area of health medicine. It is clear to see that the full extent of the impact of biotech and human genome research has yet to be discovered.

Filed Under: Health Tagged With: Animal, Biology, Eukaryotic, Genetics, Human Genome Project, Mammal, Medicine, Research

Pros and Cons of Gene Testing

Now that the Human Genome Project has provided the world with the ability to test their genetic code and determine whether or not there is anything they should be concerned about lurking in their future, the obvious question is this; “should I get genetic testing?” On the one hand, genetic testing can be the window into the future and could help save or greatly prolong your life. On the other hand, the tests are not always accurate, and the results are not always good news. There are many factors to consider when contemplating a genetic test.

For certain diseases such as colon cancer, early detection can be the difference between a full recovery and death. This disease also has a very strong genetic link, meaning if your parents or grandparents had it, there is a good chance you could have it, particularly in men. In this instance, genetic testing may be incredibly beneficial, as locating and identifying the gene means doctors can take a closer look and keep a watchful eye for even the slightest symptom. In situation where the genetics are strong and early detection is key, genetic testing is a good idea.

However not all diseases are as treatable with early detection as colon cancer. One such disease that has similarly strong genetic links is Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s can be identified just as easily on a genetics test, but unfortunately can not be cured. In situations like this, having a genetics test performed could potentially do more harm than good. Discovering that there is a significantly large chance that you could develop a life altering, debilitating and ultimately fatal disease, with nothing to do but wait for it to arrive, can be incredibly damaging. For that reason, genetics tests are not appropriate in every situation.

Although having a genetics test performed can be of great assistance to some, it can be a great hindrance to others. The decision to have a genetics test performed rest solely on whether or not you truly want to know the answers.

Filed Under: Health Tagged With: Gene Testing, Human Genome Project

Michele Watches and the Human Genome Project: Relativity at Its Finest

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A genome is basically a CD carrying case containing DNA code. When speaking of the human genome, this “case” contains 46 CDs. These “CDs” are, you guessed it, chromosomes. In humans, chromosomes are paired up. Each person has 22 sets of autosomal chromosomes along with an additional set of chromosomes which determines gender. The study of these chromosomes have captured the interest of scientists and geneticists for many years.

A person that is interested in genetics wants to define what makes us tick. They want to know why one group of people chooses to wear Michele watches while another group is comfortable slipping on less stylish timepieces. It all comes down to our inner workings, the foundation of our system. Our decision-making processes, our feelings and our actions are said to stem from a combination of our genetics and our experiences.

Researchers want to find the reason behind these actions, misguided and otherwise. Two individuals raised in the same household to the same biological parents, having had the same experiences in life will often make differing decisions when it comes to a choice presented mutually. There is a reason behind this and the answer lies within the human genome.

The human genome is an enigma begging to be solved. There tends to be controversy over this subject, though. The main point of the controversy is that if humans discover the exact code which uniquely lies in each of us, then we will begin to engineer humans that only meet a specific standard. This is why the human genome project has been under fire from numerous organizations across the world. If genetic engineering is allowed to take place within the human race, what is left to happen to those individuals who were not scientifically engineered? This issue raises questions on each side of the fence and will continue to do so for years to come.

Filed Under: Health Tagged With: Genetics, Human genome, Human Genome Project