Question:

Why is the Human Genome project called a mega project?

Updated On: Oct 4, 2023
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Solution and Explanation

Human genome project was considered to be a mega project because it had a specific goal to sequence every base pair present in the human genome. It took around 13 years for its completion and got accomplished in year 2006. It was a large scale project, which aimed at developing new technology and generating new information in the field of genomic studies. As a result of it, several new areas and avenues have opened up in the field of genetics, biotechnology, and medical sciences. It provided clues regarding the understanding of human biology.

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Concepts Used:

Human Genome Project

The Human Genome Project was an international research effort designed to map out the DNA sequence of an entire human genome. It was the first undertaking of its kind and took over a decade to complete. The goal of the Human Genome project was to sequence and identify the entire Human genome. And then store the entire genome information in a database. The Human Genome Project required improvement tools for data analysis.

The Human Genome Project (HGP) was an international, collaborative research program whose goal was the complete mapping and understanding of all the genes of human beings. All our genes together are known as our "genome."

Goals of the Human Genome Project

The HGP set out to establish the following goals: 

  1. First, to identify all the approximately 20,000-25,000 genes that make up the human DNA.
  2. Map out the genome sequences of the 3 billion chemical base pairs that comprise the human DNA.
  3. Ensure the storage of the derived information in genome sequence databases.
  4. Optimize the tools required for the data analysis process.
  5. Handle the ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI) that may arise during the project.

The shotgun phase of the Human Genome Project itself consisted of three steps:

  1. Obtaining a DNA clone to sequence
  2. Sequencing the DNA clone
  3. Assembling sequence data from multiple clones to determine overlap and establish a contiguous sequence

Impact of Human Genome Research

The Human Genome Project will entirely reshape the approach to all biomedical research as well as therapeutic and preventive health care. The development in fields like bioinformatics and biostatistics will allow for better pattern detection and analysis of genetic disorders. 

Students interested in a deeper analysis of the Human Genome Project can visit the official website created by the National Institute of Health.