I really enjoyed watching the NOVA video about the Human Genome Program. I was fascinated upon what I learned from the video. First, I learned about HGP, it is a research aiming to sequence and map all of the genes of members of our species, and I also learned that the goal of HGP is to read the letters of human DNA and find out early rare risks for kinds of genetic disease.
I was also amazed how computer improved the gene mapping. During the old process, scientists would read the nucleotide base by putting one letter at a time next to the band and write it on a piece of paper, and then put the data in computer (Such a painstaking job). Now the computer can read thousand of letters within one second, so that scientists can be much more efficient.
Furthermore, I got to know some important figures in HGP. For instance, Biochemist Craig Venter, who is one of the first people to sequence the human genome, found Celera, a private team focusing on genetic sequencing. Celera can collect genetic data and the drug companies can use these data to do their medical research, inventing drugs to cure the disease.
There were some heart-wrenching scenes too. In the video, a very cute lonely baby boy, Hayden, was examined to have Tay Sach’s. Tay Sach’s is a genetic disease that can slowly destroy the baby’s brain and eventually lead to baby’s death. Before Hayden turned 3, he died.
It shocked me because TS is incurable, and Hayden’s parents could nothing but to anticipate Hayden’s death, what a torture to parents! Even worse, Hayden’s parents are both carriers, and his dad’s twin brother, Hayden’s uncle and Hayden’s aunt, are both carriers too. So Hayden’s cousin is tested to have TS too. (How rare is that!)
Therefore, I think HGP is needed because it can really help people when dealing with producing next generation. If the HGP runs successfully, there will be two major benefits: First of all, the baby’s health condition can be detected, so the parents can avoid giving birth to babies with severe disease, thereby improving the rate of survival. Second, if there is a patient with a broken gene, the research group can find a copying gene to replace the broken one.
However, If I have to chance to examine whether I have an incurable disease, I will not choose to do so. Because I think it will change my attitude towards my life ever since. I might feel sad and depressed after knowing I have an incurable disease.
All in all, I really enjoyed Crack the Code of Life video, and I strongly suggests you to watch it!
For Cracking the Code of Life video, please check here:
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