A bioinformatics and biotechnology project that identified the 30,000 genes in human DNA. The goal of the Human Genome Project is to advance biomedical research and develop personalized medicine by determining the relationships between the three billion chemical base pairs of the DNA and human traits and predispositions.
Coordinated by the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health, the Human Genome Project began in 1990 and released its findings in 2003 along with results from the Celera Genomics Group. Part of the project is to study the ethical and legal impact on society. Other countries have similar projects. See
micro array.
The End Goal: Customized Medicine
Sequencing costs per person have come down dramatically. They range from $300 to $1,000 today and are expected to drop to $100 in the future. With such total knowledge of a person's makeup, medicine can be tailored to the individual rather than a group. Also called "genomic medicine," personalized medicine is expected to dramatically alter the medical profession. Stay tuned! See
Personal Genome Project.
AI and Genomic Research
The Human Genome Project helped scientists read the genetic code. AI is helping them understand what the code means by identifying the DNA base pairs that may cause disease. AI is helping to learn how genes influence biological processes.