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page 1 | page 2 | page 3 | page 4 | page 5 | page 6 | page 7 | page 8 | page 9 | page 10 | page 11 | table of contents | references | test Modern Day Genetics The Human Genome Project (HGP) was funded by Congress in 1988. The HGP is the result of a collaborative, coordinated research effort in human genetics co-planned by the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). These agencies developed a memorandum of understanding in 1988 that outlined working relationships and a 5-year plan. James Watson was designated as head of the program at NIH, and the National Center for Human Genome Research was established in Bethesda, Maryland. The HGP has been instrumental in fostering a multidisciplinary group approach to research with an expectation of openness and sharing of discoveries via informatics technology. All goals formulated for 1993-1998 were achieved and new goals were presented in 1998 by the current director of the National Human Genome Research Institute, Dr. Francis Collins (Collins et al., 1998). It was further projected that achievement of the goal ofcompleting 90% of the DNA sequence of the human genome would occur ahead of schedule and indeed, a draft was made available in 2000 (Collins, 1999; Marshall, 2000). The achievement of knowing the full human genome sequence is predicted to be a significant scientific historic event. Continuing goals of the HGP for the next five years include completion of the total genome sequence, a catalogue of variation in the human DNA sequence, faster/cheaper technology, a focus on gene function, and continued attention to the implications of such knowledge for society. Ethical, legal, and social implications of genome research goals have been expanded to include attention to the integration of genetic discoveries into the clinical, nonclinical, and research settings. Professional and public integration of genetics knowledge is key to successful utilization of genetics information. Both political and public sectors must become engaged and knowledgeable about the implications of this very personal information to society. The focus on interaction of genetic information with philosophical, theological, and ethical perspectives is an essential component of the HGP. And finally, examining the impact of socioeconomic factors, race, and ethnicity on the understanding and use of genetic information is an additional component of the HGP (Collins et. al., 1998). Additional information regarding the goals of the HGP is found at [http://www.nhgri.nih.gov]. Genetics and Medicine Progress made as a result of the HGP and similar genetics research in the public sector has accelerated the potential for improved understanding of the implications of the genetic code in the prediction, diagnosis, and treatment of illness. Most health conditions are believed to be the result of a combination of genetic and environmental influences and interactions. Services, resources, and education in genetics have evolved into a genetics medical specialty in response to the need for the integration of genetic information into care. However, there is the prediction that primary care providers and other health professionals, regardless of specialty, will ultimately need to integrate new genetics knowledge into routine practice (Hayflick & Eiff, 1998; Collins, 1997).
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