ONU expert: professor of genetics
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Dr. Dwight Ginn
One of the biggest recent innovations in the field of genetics has been the Human Genome Project (HGP) which was completed in 2003.
All of the letters (bases) on each of the human DNA were sequenced and are now stored in a huge database at the National Center for Biotechnology Information.
All this information, about three billion letters of DNA, can be freely accessed through the internet. This information has revolutionized the field of genetics.
For the first time we now have all the genetic information that is found in every human cell.
This information ultimately guides everything that happens in our bodies. But the work is far from over - the sequence of DNA bases is just beginning.
It is like knowing all the letters in the novel, but not understanding all of the words or sentences.
The HGP has spawned many new exciting scientific projects that are designed to answer these questions. One such project is the Haplotype Map, whose goal is to find the key differences in the DNA between different people.
Such information will allow scientists to identify the genes that cause different diseases and hopefully find cures.
What are some ethical implications in genetics and how do you tackle ethical issues with students?
Just recently in my Developmental Biology course we dealt with the ethical implications of human cloning. During one class period we discussed various aspects of this situation.
We all were in agreement for many different reasons that using cloning for human reproductive purposes is not an acceptable use of the technology.
Even the Federation of Societies of Experimental Biology passed a voluntary moratorium on human cloning.
We also discussed the uses and ethics of cloning for therapeutic purposes, such as potentially treating a person with Parkinson’s disease using cloned cells.
Is it true that no two fingerprints are alike and how is this possible?
The fingerprints of no two people are alike. Even the fingerprints of identical twins are similar, but not identical.
This is because the development of a fetus inside of uterus is influenced by both genes and the environment.
Although identical twins have the same DNA in each of their cells and share the same uterus, variations in development of each twin can lead to the small differences that are observed in their fingerprints.
Describe some of the things that the biology research students are working on.
Three years ago, I worked with student Brandon Hamm on a summer research project funded by Pence Boyd Research Project funds.
We attempted to determine the effect of cadmium, a poisonous heavy metal, on the production of collagen in cultured rat bone cells.
This type of laboratory work involves working with very small amounts of liquids, about one millionth of a liter.
It requires careful and methodical attention to detail, a skill that Brandon mastered very quickly.
I thoroughly enjoyed working with Brandon and getting to know him better during that summer project. Brandon is currently in medical school.