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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Is it possible to remove DNA strands from a human surgically? And if so, does removing the DNA affect the traits a person already possesses?      Arjun Prasad, Ph.D.: I am a post-doctoral Fellow working in bioinformatics at NHGRI. I'm very much interested in figuring out new ways to use new DNA sequencing technology and computers to learn about how genomes work, evolve, and influence human health. DNA is in every single cell of the body, so there's no way to separate DNA from a person. The traits that we have are maintained by the DNA in our cells, but they are also influenced by the history of our development, our behavior, and our current environment. Riverside High School in PA (10th grade student)

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