Genetics is a young science. It has been a little over fifty years since Watson and Crick uncovered the ‘secret of life’ – the structure of the DNA molecule in which the instructions for cellular function are written. The first incomplete version of the human genome was not published until 2001. However, genetics, despite its youth, has already changed our understanding of life on Earth, and gene technology is changing our very lives.
Genetics has shed new light on our history, proving evolution and allowing us to trace how the first humans spread from Africa around the world. It has given us new tools to prove guilt or innocence. And it has explained how our individuality is shaped by nature and nurture.
Today we stand on the threshold of a new era, the era of genetic medicine, when treatments will be based on a patient’s genetic profile, spare tissue will be grown from stem cells, harmful mutations will be corrected by gene therapy, and hereditary risks will be determined in advance.