HapMap Launched With Pledges of $100 Million

摘要: HUMAN GENOME A consortium of six nations is diving into a massive new genomics project it hopes will pinpoint the genes behind common diseases. After months passing hat among countries and private companies, U.S. National Institutes Health (NIH) announced earlier this week that it's garnered $100 million 3-year effort to construct so-called haplotype map likely cost. But even as was with considerable fanfare, many details remained sketchy. The idea for HapMap, informally known, arose soon after scientists discovered human genome has surprisingly structured architecture. Thousands DNA bases, patterns single-base variations them, fall roughly same order in people. A popular theory slight tweaks those blocks, or haplotypes, could mean difference between health ailments ranging from cancer diabetes. Researchers plan examine 200 400 genetic samples four populations Africa, Asia, United States. (Previous studies have shown differ part based on migratory histories.) Enthusiastic about HapMap's potential provide medical answers full sequence yet offer, NIH paved way, planning $40 commitment early year. Since then, Canadian government kicked little under $10 and, more recently, Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute Hinxton, U.K., $25 million. Japan, China, SNP Consortium, public-private group seeking differences genomes, are also adding pot. Work expected begin participants at centers States abroad agree some ground rules project, perhaps most unwieldy collaboration since sequencing genome. They determine, instance, how data collection be standardized. Also uncertain precisely work divvied up. “We've learned find good ways together,” says David Bentley, head genetics Institute. he notes unlike 3 billion bases biologists knew they'd uncover here no one knows quite what expect.