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April
14, 2003
Secretary
Abraham's Statement
on the Human Genome
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Fifty years ago this month,
researchers Francis Crick and James Watson published
their historic paper describing the double-helix
structure of DNA. For their achievement, Drs.
Watson and Crick were awarded the Nobel Prize
in 1962.
Seventeen years ago this spring, at the recommendation
of one of its scientists, the Department of Energy
(DOE) launched the effort to determine the DNA
sequence of the human genome. Today, representatives
of DOE and the National Institutes of Health announced
the completion of the sequencing of the human
genome.
The 50th anniversary of the Watson-Crick discovery
of DNA and the successful completion of the Human
Genome Project are being celebrated around the
world throughout April 2003, and in particular,
at joint NIH-DOE symposia in Washington, DC, on
April 14-15. There, still another DOE contribution
to the advancement of science also will be discussed
-- the Office of Science's Genomes to Life program.
As part of DOE's Celebration of the Genome, Secretary
of Energy Spencer Abraham's statement follows:
I am very proud of the Department of Energy's
historic role in the sequencing of the human genome
- and very excited by the promise of DOE's Genomes
to Life initiative.
In 1986, a DOE scientist, Dr. Charles DeLisi,
proposed that DOE should attempt to decode the
tens, even hundreds of thousands of genes then
thought to be in the human genome, in order to
understand, at the DNA level, the effects of radiation,
energy use and energy-production technologies
on human health.
And so the Department of Energy became the very
first agency to fund research into genome mapping
and sequencing.
But DOE's Office of Science did more than launch
the historic quest to discover the genetic blueprint
of human beings. DOE also developed cost-effective
sequencing and computational technologies and
methods that made possible the unraveling of the
human genetic code.
In addition, by bringing together the research
capabilities of three of our national laboratories
- Lawrence Berkeley, Lawrence Livermore and Los
Alamos - DOE founded the Joint Genome Institute,
one of the world's largest and most productive
public genome sequencing centers.
Indeed, DOE's Joint Genome Institute completed
the sequencing of three of the human genome's
chromosomes - numbers five, 16 and 19 - which
together contain some 12,000 genes, including
those implicated in forms of kidney disease, prostate
and colorectal cancer, leukemia, hypertension,
diabetes and atherosclerosis.
Now, DOE once again is pioneering discovery-class
science. For the same biotechnology revolution
that offers such promise for human health is also
a powerful tool for clean energy and a cleaner
environment.
DOE's Genomes to Life program is developing new
knowledge about how microorganisms grow and function
and will marry this to a national infrastructure
in computational biology to build a fundamental
understanding of living systems.
The thrust of Genomes to Life is aimed directly
at DOE concerns:
developing new sources of energy; mitigating the
long-term impacts of climate change through carbon
sequestration; and cleaning up the environment.
DOE's Genomes to Life research stands on the shoulders
of discoveries made precisely because DOE was
willing to take the risk and begin a program in
gene sequencing some 17 years ago. We are very
proud of that tradition and of that legacy.
Congratulations to all those who have helped in
this historic effort.
Media Contact: Jeff Sherwood, 202/586-5806
Number: PR-03-074
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