Monday, May 8, 2000
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 7
Omega Festival
Above: Darrell Lee plays during a late-afterno performance at the annual Omega Festival on Friday. Lea and his band, Chill Factor, was just one of many bands that performed during the three-day festival.
Right: Brad Boerger jams at the Omega Festival Friday afternoon. Boerger and his band, Chill Factor, entertained the crowd with a hard rock sound and some eardrum-blasting feedback.
Below: Jeremy Singer and Celia Shacklett sing a duet during Friday's Omega Festival at Clinton Lake State Park. Shacklett is a KU grad who performs every Tuesday night at the Brown Bear Brewing Co.
Photos by Nick Krug/KANSAN
Human gene map nears completion
By Jim O'Malley
writer @kanson.com
Kansan staff writer
The huge scientific effort to map all 80,000 human genes is nearing completion, the director of the human genome project told a crowd of hundreds Friday afternoon at Budig Hall.
Francis Collins, director of the National Human Genome Research Institute of the National Institutes of Health, visited the University of Kansas at the request of Sen. Sam Brownback.
Chancellor Robert Hemenway introduced Brownback as one of the members of the Senate who really cared about biomedical research.
He said the project promised wonderful possibilities, such as the elimination of cancer.
Brownback in turn introduced Collins. Brownback called the project one of the great scientific discoveries of the day.
Collins called the project the periodic table of the elements for biology, but a table with 80,000 entries instead of 103. The periodic table was instrumental to chemistry. Collins said, and the human genome project similarly would be beneficial to genetic research.
Collins said the project had potential practical benefits, such as better analysis of diseases.
"Virtually all diseases have a genetic component," he said.
The project is an immense one, Collins said. There are three billion base pairs in the human genome. The DNA in a single white cell would be two miles long.
But the project is proceeding ahead of schedule, he said. The research centers involved in the project are generating 1,000 base pairs a second.
Collins said all data would be put in a publicly accessible database.
The project assembled samples of DNA from 450 people because variation within the human genotype needs to be cataloged.
"We're particularly interested in the places where people differ." Collins said.
The project is just about complete, he said.
"Now the fun begins," he said.
Collins predicted that advancements in the next 30 years would include gene therapy for cancer and other diseases and understanding of the genetic basis for mental illness.
He also predicted genetic diagnosis of human embryos very shortly after fertilization. But he said he didn't think there would be designer babies. The diagnosis would be a lousy predictor of specific traits, he said.
"But not to worry," Collins said. "The death rate will still be one per person."
Understanding the genes involved in the human aging process was another prediction.
Collins said he expected major anti-biotechnology movements in the United States in response to genetic research. Collins predicted that complete genomic sequencing of individuals would be routine and cost less than $1,000.
"You might want to be careful about who you show it to, though." Collins said.
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The project already was looking into the ethical, legal and social implications of the project, Collins said, and had already produced proposed legislation to prevent genetic discrimination in insurance.
But Collins said the project still would leave people wondering about important questions.
"We won't understand what love is all about." Collins said. "Nor will we understand the spiritual side of human beings. But we will understand the parts list."
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You must present your ticket(s) for your box lunch(es) at the Chancellor's residence, The Outlook, on Sunday, May 21, between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Pick up your tickets at the Alumni Association's headquarters on the third floor of the Adams Alumni Center, 1266 Oread Avenue, anytime from May 1-17 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
A short program at 11:30 a.m. will include the presentation of the Class of 2000 gift and banner.
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Questions? Call 864-4760.
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