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/ Health News / 2008 / January 2008 / January 7, 2008 First Chinese volunteers genome mapped |
How cancer prevention drives aging
For the first time, researchers have found how cellular senescence, the well-known mechanism for preventing cancer, can trigger aging and age-related disease by changing the local tissue environment. ANI
Scientists unveil genes vital to vital to adult heart function
In a study on fruit fly Drosophila, scientists at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research (Burnham) have found that genes involved in embryonic heart development are vital to adult heart function in both fruit flies and humans. ANI
Psychiatric disorders common among college-aged
A new study has revealed that psychiatric disorders appear to be common among 18- to 24-year-olds, with overall rates similar among those attending or not attending college. ANI
As part of a project to create a database of Asian genomes, the Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI) has sequenced the genome of a Chinese volunteer for the first time.
New Delhi, January 7 : As part of a project to create a database of Asian genomes, the Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI) has sequenced the genome of a Chinese volunteer for the first time.
Dr. Wang Jian, the Director of BGI's Shenzhen branch, has revealed that it was a researcher whose genome had been sequenced by his team.
The Yanhuang Project is aimed at mapping the genomes of 100 Chinese people, he said.
Dr. Wang said that he hoped that other people would also volunteer to have their genomes sequenced, so that he could move ahead with the project, named after two legendary ancient emperors who are believed to be the ancestors of the Han ethnic group,
"We finished the sequencing of the first Han Chinese genome last October, but the genome is from a researcher," the China Daily quoted Dr. Wang as telling Xinhua.
"We hope that the rest of the 100 people will be volunteers who want to have their genomes sequenced for purely scientific purposes," he said.
Besides giving his blood samples for sequencing, the first volunteer also donated 1.3 million dollars to the project.
"I believe more breakthroughs will be made in bio-tech and bio-pharmacy industries by sequencing and studying more Chinese genomes," the donor said, on condition of anonymity.
Talking about the significance of the Yanhuang Project, Dr. Wang said: "We need to establish the database of Chinese people's genomes in order to solve the problems related to Chinese-specific genetic diseases. It will also give us solid ground for future individual health care in terms of accurate and effective diagnosis, prediction and therapy."
ANI
