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The Human Genome Project Essay

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The Human Genome Project is a worldwide research effort with the goal of analyzing the structure of human DNA and determining the location of the estimated 100,000 human genes. The DNA of a set of model organisms will be studied to provide the information necessary for understanding the functioning of the human genome. The information gathered by the human genome project is expected to be the source book for biomedical science in the twenty-first century and will be of great value to the field of medicine. The project will help us to understand and eventually treat more than 4,000 genetic diseases that affect mankind. The scientific products of the human genome project will include a resource of genomic maps and DNA sequence information …show more content…

The overall budget needs for the effort are expected to be about $200 million per year for approximately 15 years.
Lasers are used in the detection of DNA in many aspects of the project; a very important use is in sorting chromosomes by flow cytometry. Lasers are also used in confocal fluorescence laser microscopy to excite fluorescently tagged molecules in genome mapping, in addition to other mapping uses. In diagnostic applications, lasers are used with fluorescent probes attached to DNA to light up chromosomes and to create patterns on DNA chips.
From the beginning of the human genome project it was clearly recognized that acquisition and use of such genetic knowledge would have momentous involvements for both individuals and society and would pose a number of consequential choices for public and professional deliberation.
As Thomas Lee writes, "the effort underway is unlike anything ever before attempted, if successful, it could lead to our ultimate control of human disease, aging, and death".
Whatever its justification, the human genome project has already inspired society with the hope of "better" babies, and one way to deploy pragmatism in the analysis of genetic engineering is to look at this promise of "better" babies in its social context: parenthood. Parents hope for healthy children and, if they could afford it, make choices (such as choosing parental care) to help "engineer" healthier babies.

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