BIOL 1010 – Assignment #3 – Option 2: The Human Genome Project

Background

The Human Genome Project (HGP) began in 1990, with a working draft of the human genome released in 2000, and a complete genome in 2003. The main objective was to determine DNA sequence of the human genome, and to identify and map the approximately 20,000–25,000 genes.

Assignment

In this assignment, you will write a feature article about the Human Genome Project. Feature articles are found in newspapers and magazines. Your feature article can be structured as a story, but remember it is non-fiction. You can be creative, but make sure your facts are accurate, and referenced. At a minimum, you should try to address the following points, but you can discuss additional aspects of the HGP: • the human genome project, its history and its development. • how the human genome project will help us understand our species, and other species • how DNA sequences show us that we share common ancestors with other organisms • current and future applications of the HGP • how is the Human Genome Project affecting medicine today? • what does the HGP hold for the future? • ethical implications of the HGP