Contact: Phil Hearn
Two American scientists who are considered pioneers in mapping the human genome Monday deflated a common perception that an individual's genetic make-up predetermines the outcome of that person's life.
"Our genetic codes do not define our life outcomes," said J. Craig Venter, Time magazine's "Scientist of the Year" in 2000. "There's a lot of confusion about what that really means. We can predict the probabilities of diseases, not life outcomes.
"People who are identical twins do not have the same genetic codes," he added, noting each individual has "100 trillion cells" that are not identical, even in twins. "If they were identical, they'd have the same fingerprints."
Addressing moral and ethical issues associated with genetic research during a student question-and-answer forum at Mississippi State University, he added, "If you are the evil twin, you can't be genetically decoded. I don't think genetic engineering will solve those problems."
Venter and his wife, Claire M. Fraser, president of The Institute for Genomic Research, discussed their research with a gathering of approximately 900 students, faculty and staff in MSU's Colvard Union during the morning before making separate presentations on campus later in the day. A panel of MSU professors also participated in the morning session, which was moderated by sociology professor Clyda Rent.
The appearance of Venter and Fraser coincided with the university's 125th anniversary and Sept. 5 investiture of Charles Lee as MSU's 17th president. They were keynote speakers for the Distinguished Lecture Series, which addresses subjects of national and international significance.
The husband-and-wife researchers are among recognized leaders in the science of mapping the human genome. Cells are the fundamental working units of every living system. DNA from all organisms is made up of the same chemical and physical components, and the genome is an organism's complete set of DNA. The smallest genome contains about 600,000 DNA base pairs.
Venter and Fraser founded The Institute for Genomic Research in Rockville, Md., in 1992, and its research teams have sequenced more than 30 genomes. In the process, the scientists have raised provocative questions about human evolution and genetic relationships among species. TIGR may have been the first lab to utilize a commercial automatic gene sequencer.
The two speakers agreed that a lack of effective science education programs contributes greatly to misperceptions concerning the vast complexities of genetic research, as well as the moral and ethical issues surrounding scientific advances.
"It's incredibly difficult to stay informed when you're trying to get your science information from USA Today or a 30-second sound bite on the evening news," said Fraser, who oversees a variety of major TIGR research projects. She also challenged women to get involved in the "male-dominated" independent research field.
"Never be afraid to try something new," she said. "The worst that can happen is that you fail. Then, you learn from your mistakes and you keep going."
Fraser discussed "Healing to Evolution: Harnessing the Microbial Genome" and Venter presented "Our Genomic Future" during separate events on the MSU campus later in the day. Lecture co-sponsors included MSU's College of Arts and Sciences, Life Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, Office of Research and MSU Foundation.
MSU faculty participating in the morning session included: Justin Courcelle of biological sciences, Dawn Luthe of biochemistry and molecular biology, Dale L. Holt of philosophy and religion, Stephanie Doane of psychology and Gerald A. Emison of political science.