2010 National DNA Day Online Chatroom Transcript

This is just one question from an archive of the National DNA Day Moderated Chat held in April 2010. The NHGRI Director and many genomics experts from across NHGRI took questions from students, teachers and the general public on topics ranging from basic genomic research, to the genetic basis of disease, to ethical questions about genetic privacy.

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Has any person ever been found to be genetically "perfect"? Meaning, no defects or abnormalities.
     Sarah Kalia: I am a graduate student in my second year of the NHGRI/Johns Hopkins Genetic Counseling Training Program. Before graduate school, I worked as a research assistant for a study investigating the psychosocial effects of genetic testing and counseling.  There really is no such thing as a "perfect" set of genes. We all have variations in our DNA that make us unique. Some of these variations cause problems with our health, and some are benign (i.e. they don't cause health problems).
Francis Howell Central High School in MO (11th grade student)

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