Human Genome Project

Human genome project began in 1990.

What is the human genome?
(1) made up of ~35000-40000 genes which code functional proteins in the body.
(2) includes non-coding sequences located between genes, which makes up the vast majority of the DNA in the  
     genome(~95%).
(3) information about DNA variations (polymorphisms) among individuals can lend insight into new methods for
     diagnosing, treating and preventing diseases that afflict humankind.

What goals were established for the human genome project?
(1) identify all the genes in human DNA.
(2) determine the sequence of the 3 billion chemical nucleotide bases that makes up human DNA.
(3) store this information in the databases.
(4) develop faster, more efficient sequencing technologies.
(5) develop tools for data analysis.
(6) address the ethical, legal and social issues (ELSI) that may arise from the project.

Ethical, Legal and Social Issues (ELSI)
(1) The U.S. department of energy (DOE) and the national institutes of health (NIH) spend between 3-5% of
      their annual budgets toward studying the ELSI associated with availability of genetic information.
(2) This budget is the world's largest bioethics program and has become a worldwide model.

Examples of ELSI
(1) privacy legislation
(2) gene testing
(3) patenting
(4) forensics
(5) genetics in the courtroom