National DNA Day, April 25

Posted by Carolyn Martin on April 14th, 2016 Posted in: Health Literacy, Health Observances

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Are you familiar with the  Genomic Medicine, the Precision Medicine Initiative, and the Human Genome Project?  Have you tried one of the direct to consumer genetic testing through such companies as Ancestry.com or 23 and Me? These and other programs can help you discover  your own genetic makeup.  Learning about who we are genetically often has to do with learning about our health. It can be fun to learn about our ancestry and helpful to know what diseases we might be at risk for getting.  But most of us do not know where to begin and many of us really only have an idea of what all this means. The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) is hoping to help educate us a little more with DNA Day. Congress approved the first National DNA Day in April 2003 to celebrate both the completion of the Human Genome Project and the 50th anniversary of Watson and Crick’s discovery of the double helix structure of DNA. The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) continues to celebrating DNA Day annually on April 25. The goal of National DNA Day is to offer students, teachers and the public an opportunity to learn about and celebrate the latest advances in genomic research and explore how those advances might impact their lives. And for this year’s DNA Day, NHGRI wants to spread the word about this day’s observance. Efforts have been made to help by teaming up to organize events across the country, create a DNA Day toolkit, update the webpages, expand the listing of resources for students and educators, and increase the usage of social media to engage the public. To learn more about DNA Day and how to get involved go to http://www.genome.gov/10506367