Essays on Genome Project

The rediscovery of Mendel's works on heredity in 1900 became the foundation to investigate more on genetics. However, the acceleration of the study of genetics was slow, taking more than half a century later for Watson and Crick to crack the chemical basis of heredity. In fact, their proposal, the double helical structure of DNA, became the beginning of modern biology. Over the next 30 years, the advent of recombinant DNA technology allowed us to sequence specific DNA segments (Collins & McKusick, 2001). Note that mapping specific regions of a particular DNA offers explanations to many traits, including behaviors, disorders, ...

Ethics refers to the essential principles of right and wrong and those that govern how things should happen in the society. They often help in informing people’s judgment, as well as how individuals should associate with one another in life. Various principles act as the benchmarks for basing conclusions. Autonomy respect, non-maleficence (doing no harm), beneficence, truthfulness, and fairness are some of the principles governing ethics in the society. This essay analyzes the ethical issues present in the Kazuo Ishiguro’s novel, ‘Never Let me Go’ and the commonly known scientific research project called ‘The Genome Project.' It ...

According to Palladino (2006), the Human Genome Project (HGP) was a scientific research project carried out internationally for thirteen years. This project was initiated by the U.S government with the support of other contributors such as public and private researchers with the goal of tracing and mapping nucleotides as found in the human Haploid Reference Genome. In other words the project was driven by the need and interest to collect information about the human genome. In this regard, the project was carried out in order to determine the sequence followed by chemical base pairs which are responsible for the ...

I am an individual with varied interests. However, I have always remained fascinated by the science of the DNA Double Helix.  My fascination in DNA Double Helix and its functionality goes back to the 6th grade when I stumbled over my cousin’s biology assignments on the structure and functionality of the DNA Double Helix. I remember asking him to explain it to me. He said a lot of staff I could not understand then, but the only thing that caught my attention is conservative nature of DNA Double Helix. My focus on the DNA Double Helix grew fonder ...

Introduction

The past century has been marked by tons of discoveries made in numerous fields such as technology, science, and engineering. One of the fields where the biggest leaps and breakthroughs have been made within that long period of time was in the field of genetic engineering. Ever since the human genome project was first conceptualized, genetic engineers and scientists knew that they are about to discover a lot of things just by simply sticking to what they are going to learn from the human genome project and in studying more modern genetic engineering concepts such as cloning and even stem ...

At present, the consensus view among social scientists reflects the idea that human races are socio-cultural constructions, but the persistence of the notion of a biological reality behind “race” is undoubtedly enduring both in popular culture and among scientists. Garner (2009) offers a sufficiently elaborate explanation for the misconception of race as a biological and genetic reality. A closer look at the socio-cultural reality behind “race” will reveal not only socio-political narratives that systematically re-inscribe racial categorization, but also the commercial and technological themes behind the socio-cultural concept of “race”. Garner (2009, pp. 1-5) emphasizes the reality that the lines between ...

Executive Summary

The quality improvement plan will highlight St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital an autonomous nonprofit organization that has committed to improving the quality and affordability of health care in Memphis. The paper will highlight the mission, goals and objectives of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital using different quality improvement activities mentioned. The quality improvement activities help hospital generate income for the free treatment services they offer. The QI activities include the created campaigns such as ‘Partner in Hope’ and ‘Genome Project’. The initiatives have helped save more children from cancer and increase their chances of survival. In ...

Introduction:

In recent times, there has been a rapid growth in the amount of data generated and collected on the human genome project and sequencing projects in other organisms. The rapid growth of biological data has consequently led to increased demand for data analysis and interpretation methods and tools. The evolving science of bioinformatics provides the necessary processes and tools to conduct this data analysis (Bayat, 2002). There are a number of specifically dedicated bioinformatics problem-solving tools and successful applications. However, despite the many existing applications, bioinformatics is still considered as a science in its infancy, and the process of massive integrating it ...

The advancement of technology has precipitated a revolution in scientific understanding over the last several decades. Advancements in research tools has led to new insights into every facet of scientific discovery within the realms of chemistry, physics, and biology and all the sub-disciplines forming their constitution. Increased discovery has brought with it opportunities for cross discipline cooperation which has resulted in the formation of new disciplines and has galvanized scientists to press the boundaries of research and application as has never been seen in human history. One such field testing those limits is genetics. Today’s geneticists have expanded beyond ...

The Human Genome Project has been developed by the collaboration of US Department of Energy and National Institute of Health, in order to determine the basic building pairs of human DNA which exist in a sequence. Thus in this way, scientist would become able to identify different stages of human evolution with the help of a process known as transcript mapping. This mapping includes identification of those genes which are protein encoded and converts themselves into messenger RNAs during the event of expressing. In this way, they can be separated in the form of complementary DNAs and can be further used ...

Genetic testing also known as DNA based test, involves direct examination of DNA molecules to test for genetic disorders and diseases (Gene testing, 2010). According to the Human Genome Project Information (2010), Genetic testing can be used for various reasons to include: - Identifying people who carry one copy of genes causing diseases such as Huntington’s disease. - Pre-symptomatic testing of adult onset diseases/disorders such as Huntington’s disease - Forensic testing and determining paternity. - Newborn screening and pre- natal testing. DNA stands for Deoxyribonucleic acid, and these are chemical Data bases ...

Dear Grandma,

I would love to assist you with all your doubts about the kit you are planning to use but let me first clarify in simple words some important biology concepts that are crucial to understand how the kit may work. One of the most important achievements of modern biology is that we are able to see whether we have a predisposition to a medical condition. The very molecule that stores information to replicate life, i.e., the DNA also has the ability to inform us about the possibilities to experience some sort of malfunctioning that would end up in a disease. The Human ...

The Human Genome Project

The Human Genome Project (HGP) began with a very ambitious goal, which was “to map and sequence the entire human genome--some 3 billion base pairs that make up approximately 80-100,000 genes--and the genomes of related model organisms by the year 2005” (Meslin, Thomson, & Boyer 1997, p. 291). Though the technology to complete the project did not yet exist at the time of its beginning, technology rapidly advanced which allowed its initial goals to be completed in 2003 (“About” 2011, para. 1). The ethical, legal, and social implications of the HGP are of great concern. The advances possible bring ...

Showing the value of DNA testing in solving crime and proving innocence the case of Kirk Bloodsworth is demonstrative of both. In 1984, Dawn Hamilton was raped and murdered. She was only 9 years old at the time. Frank Bloodsworth was convicted of the crime. Multiple witnesses had testified they saw him near the scene of the crime and he was sent to Death Row. A year later, his conviction was overturned by the Maryland Court of Appeals and the case was remanded for retrial. Once again, he was convicted, this time he was sentenced to a life term. DNA ...

Abstract

The Human Genome Project promises a revolutionary insight to the genetic "blueprint" of the human body. In this paper, the social, ethical, and economic implications of this project to the society are considered. The potential for applications of this research is as well mentioned in this research paper. The paper discusses the HGP in relation to the broader context of genetic engineering and its applications, thereby considering issues like the extent to which the Frankenstein metaphor applies to the project in terms of the potential for genetic engineering.

The issue of ethics of genetic research and the relationship between genetic ...