2011 National DNA Day Online Chatroom Transcript

This is just one question from an archive of the National DNA Day Moderated Chat held in April 2011. 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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When people have surgery and have metal implanted in them to help with whatever is wrong, how does the body not try to expel it or try to form around it or break it in any way?      David Bodine, M.D., Ph.D.: I currently investigate the genetics of pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells (PHSCs) to improve the effectiveness of bone marrow transplantation and to find better ways to use these unique cells for gene replacement therapy. I'm also studying diseases that interfere with the ability of the stem cells to differentiate into red blood cells. Basically because the immune cells in the body are trained to recognize proteins. That is why they do not recognize metals and plastics very well. Riverside High School in PA (10th grade student)

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