Evaluating the U.S. Human Genome Project

This book, Evaluating the U.S. Human Genome Project,
presents a comprehensive policy appraisal of a
large-scale science program. Sponsored in the United
States by the National Institutes of Health and
Department of Energy, the Human Genome Project (HGP)
endeavored to sequence a reference human genome. A
genome is the complete set of DNA comprised of
nucleotide bases: adenine, thymine, cytosine, and
guanine, in a cell s nucleus. The HGP s scientific
goal was to determine the order of these chemical
bases within the 23 pairs of chromosomes. Project
promoters justified the public investment, $3.3
billion, with assurances that the HGP would lead to
public health benefits. Project leaders also pledged
to address harms of genome research and technology by
establishing Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications
programs. Though a scientific success, the HGP has
not lived up to common interest expectations. The
HGP s technical design facilitated efficient
sequencing but isolated the project from its larger
social context and excluded non-scientist
stakeholders from decision making. The book offers
recommendations to help human genome research and
technology serve its public purposes.

Autorentext

Lauren McCain, Ph.D. received her doctorate in political sciencefrom the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2003. She hasworked for the National Center for Genome Resources and theCenter for Science, Policy & Outcomes. She lives in Denver and iscurrently employed by WildEarth Guardians.

Klappentext

This book, Evaluating the U.S. Human Genome Project,presents a comprehensive policy appraisal of alarge-scale science program. Sponsored in the UnitedStates by the National Institutes of Health andDepartment of Energy, the Human Genome Project (HGP)endeavored to sequence a reference human genome. Agenome is the complete set of DNA comprised ofnucleotide bases: adenine, thymine, cytosine, andguanine, in a cell's nucleus. The HGP's scientificgoal was to determine the order of these chemicalbases within the 23 pairs of chromosomes. Projectpromoters justified the public investment, $3.3billion, with assurances that the HGP would lead topublic health benefits. Project leaders also pledgedto address harms of genome research and technology byestablishing Ethical, Legal, and Social Implicationsprograms. Though a scientific success, the HGP hasnot lived up to common interest expectations. TheHGP's technical design facilitated efficientsequencing but isolated the project from its largersocial context and excluded non-scientiststakeholders from decision making. The book offersrecommendations to help human genome research andtechnology serve its public purposes.