Foreword

• Published in: DNA p. ix
• Main Author: Victor A. McKusick
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: University of California Press 03.02.2008
• Edition: 1
• Subjects: Acids; Biological sciences; Biology; Birth; Chemical compounds; Chemicals; Chemistry; Criminal investigation; Dermatoglyphics; Developmental biology; DNA; DNA mapping; Forensic medicine; Forensic sciences; Genetic research; Genetics; Genomes; Genomics; Government; Government services; Human genetics; Human genome; Human genome project; Identical twins; Law enforcement; Law enforcement procedures; Medical genetics; Multiple births; Nucleic acids; Physical sciences; Political science; Reproduction; Twins
• ISBN: 9780520251878; 0520251873

Twenty years ago, when the proposed project to sequence the entire human genome was under consideration, both the promise and to some extent the peril were subjects of active discussion. The promise was seen to lie in the potential for deducing the way the human organism is formed and works. From that could come understanding of what goes wrong, leading to birth defects as well as ailments of later life. In turn, that understanding could lead to precise diagnoses, including prenatal diagnosis, prediction of late-onset disorders, and design of preventive measures, specific treatments, and even gene therapy. The promise captured