A Massive Project For The Benefit Of Mankind: A Look At The Human Genome Project

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the cost and help the project to meet its
objectives ahead of schedule. The project was estimated to have detailed maps
of all of the chromosomes and know the location of most of the human Genes by
1996. Researchers have successfully located the gene and DNA sequence for
Huntington�s Disease on Chromosome 4 and have created a genetic test to
determine if a person carries this gene. "The child of a person with
Huntington's has a 50% chance of inheriting the gene, which inevitably leads to
the disease." Once an individual acquires the gene, it is only a matter of
time before they acquire the disease. Because the medical costs of treating
such persons in terminal illnesses are extremely high, insurance companies who
want to stay in business see this genetic test, and others like it, as an
opportunity to screen prospective clients for the probability of such diseases.
Some people feel that this information gives insurance companies unfair
advantage over those covered by medical ...

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for
a brain tumor. Scientists would take a herpes gene and splice it in to a
nonvirulent virus. Viruses and liposomes have an uncanny ability to navigate
through cell membranes. The virus is then placed into a laboratory animal to
reproduce itself, and after reproduction, is injected into the human�s brain
tumor. The virus is supposed to invade the tumor cells. Thus, the herpes
enzyme will render the tumor vulnerable to drugs used to cure herpes, killing
the tumor, the virus, and the animals' cells used to manufacture the virus. With
this and other ideas springing out from the "medicine cabinet", many
researchers are optimistic about the results of their research. There is also ...

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