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.

---

165

How can knowledge about genetics be used to prevent the evolution of "superbugs" that are resistant to antibiotics?      Kris Wetterstrand, M.S.: I currently work on the Large-scale Sequencing Program, which managed the Human Genome Project, and the Human Microbiome Project, an effort to sequence the DNA of microbes (e.g. bacteria) that live in and on humans. Well, if we know what gene sequences are involved in antibiotic resistance in the superbugs, it might be possible to figure out new antibiotics to counteract the bugs. Peru High School in IN (12th grade student)

---

< View ALL questions and answers from 2010

Or, search the 2010 transcript by keyword:
(short, single keywords work best at first)