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The Significance Of Breaking DNA Code

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The Significance Of Breaking DNA Code

DANBURY — In 2003, the Human Genome Project completed a 13-year quest to identify more than 20,000 genes and determine the sequence of the 3 billion chemical pairs that comprise human DNA.

WestConn’s “Science at Night” series continues with “Genomics: Unraveling Fact and Fiction” on Thursday, February 10, at 7 pm, in the Student Center Theater on WestConn’s Midtown campus, 181 White Street.

Bioorganic chemist Dr Jennifer Frederick, an assistant professor of chemistry at WestConn, will present the lecture. Dr Frederick will explain in layman’s terms what genomic research really means.

The Human Genome Project, funded in part by the US Department of Energy and the National Institutes of Health, paved the way to invaluable scientific information for biologists, geneticists, and pharmaceutical researchers. Possible implications of this research also created a whole new area of concern for ethicists.

There are many complex medical and legal issues intertwined with genomics, such as stem cell research, cloning, genetic engineering, medical testing in utero, and the potential use of DNA testing by employers or insurers to screen applicants. Frederick will address these questions and more as she demystifies the recent advances in DNA research.

“This information is important for everyone to know because it has the potential to impact our lives in terms of privacy, employment, or insurability,” Dr Frederick said. “Genomic research also promises to be very useful in providing a better understanding of how the human body works and how things can go wrong.”

Dr Frederick holds a master’s degree and doctorate in bioorganic chemistry from Yale University. Her expertise in the study of DNA and proteins has involved both clinical research and employment as a post-secondary educator.

The presentation is free and open to the public.

For more information, call Professor of Biological and Environmental Sciences Dr Thomas Philbrick at 837-8773, or the WestConn Office of Public Relations at 837-8486.

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