2008 National DNA Day Online Chatroom Transcript

This is just one question from an archive of the National DNA Day Moderated Chat held in April 2008. 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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What is Dna profiling and what are the benefits of using it
     Alan Guttmacher, M.D.: Developing new research tools to translate the findings of the Human Genome Project (HGP) into new diagnostic tests and therapies. It depends upon exactly what one means by "DNA profiling." One application of that term is in forensics - the use of DNA in the legal system - for instance, to determine who might be responsible for a specific crime. Another is in medical care, for instance, to individualize care based on one's individual genetic makeup. That use of profiling is incredibly promising, as it will allow us to create individualized disease prevention and treatment strategies for each person, which should prove much more effective than our current "one size fits all" approach in health care.
Scarlet Oaks in OH (12th grade student)

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