2009 National DNA Day Online Chatroom Transcript

This is just one question from an archive of the National DNA Day Moderated Chat held in April 2009. 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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Among the Indian population, beta thalassamia is common in certain communities. Can you suggest certain measures to solve it?      David Bodine, M.D., Ph.D.: I 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. Beta thal can be very serious and what a community should do is give blood tests to everybody who wants one. This should be able to identify the people with beta thal. Once identified, it is important to see a physician, who can help the patient with the complications of the disease, which are mainly anemia and iron overload. Also genetic counseling can help them understand how they got beta thal, and what they can do to make sure that when the have kids, they know what the odds are and how to deal with the disease. B.B.S.P.Nag SMVCBT, Nagpur, INDIA (teacher)

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