Genetics Unzipped: The Past, Present and Future of the Human Genome Project
Posted by Kat Arney, on 22 October 2020
In this episode we bring you an in-depth interview with Dr Eric Green, director of the US National Human Genome Research Institute and one of the key instigators of the Human Genome Project, to talk about the past, present and future of human genomics.
Thirty years ago this month saw the birth of one of the most audacious research programmes in biology: The Human Genome Project, an ambitious plan to read the DNA sequence of the entire human genome. Ten years later, in June 2000 – after billions of dollars, countless hours of DNA sequencing, and a huge amount of effort from an international collaboration from 20 institutions in six countries – the first draft of the Human Genome was unveiled.
Dr Eric Green has seen the Human Genome Project through from its inception through to the published sequence and into what’s now the fully-fledged field of human genomics. Today, he’s the director of the US National Human Genome Research Institute, and a leading light in the world of genes, genomes and genome sequencing. I called him up to chat about the past, present and future of the human genome – starting by going all the way back to the beginning of the Human Genome Project.
Genetics Unzipped is the podcast from The Genetics Society. Full show notes, transcript, music credits and references online at GeneticsUnzipped.com.
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Image: Human Genome Project researchers utilizing manual sequencing data. NHGRI.