Scientists discuss human gene advances

Many of the world’s leading scientists were meeting today to examine the latest advances in human genetics.

A major conference, hosted by the Human Genome Organisation (HUGO), is being held in Edinburgh, just a few miles from the Roslin Institute where in 1996 scientists produced the first cloned adult mammal, Dolly the sheep.

Scientists have contributed to the £2bn Human Genome Project (HGP), much of which has been carried out at the Sanger Centre near Cambridge, and the US Whitehead Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Last June it was announced that a ‘‘rough draft’’ of the three billion letter-long human genome code had been produced, but work to refine the DNA sequence is expected to continue for at least another two years.

In February early analyses of the genome were published and revealed that humans had around 40,000 genes - only twice as many as a worm.

The four-day conference, to be opened by Lord Winston at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, will focus on the progress in deciphering the genome through defining all the genes and their functions.

Scientists hope the data may eventually enable them to banish inherited disorders, screen people for their vulnerability to diseases, tailor treatment to an individual’s genetic make-up, create thousands of new drugs, repair faulty genes and extend human lifespan.

The legal, social and ethical issues, such as gene commercialisation, patenting issues and concerns over a genetic ‘‘underclass’’ will also be addressed during the event.

Among the 37 speakers will be Allan Bradley, director of the Sanger Centre, Eric Lander from the Whitehead Institute, and Nobel Prize winner Christiane Nusslein-Volhard from Germany.

One of those behind the event is Professor Nick Hastie, director of the Medical Research Council’s Human Genetics Unit in Edinburgh and a member of the UK Government Working Party on the Human Genome.

He said: ‘‘The sequencing of the human genome is very exciting for our understanding of biology and for our treatment of disease.

‘‘But it is very much the beginning because what we are seeing is a whole new phase of biology.

‘‘There is, of course, concern among the public, and we as scientists need to convey the positive side while acknowledging those concerns and contributing to the ongoing debate.’’

He added: ‘‘One of the things we will discuss is how these genes we have identified actually work, whether we can understand what makes us develop from an egg into a complex human being, and how we can apply new technologies to understand genes.

‘‘We will be considering how we can assess what genetic differences mean for our risk of disease, and there will be presentations of new mutations discovered in genes that are associated with new diseases.’’

The meeting will also consider ethical, social and legal issues including discussions over the uses for DNA information, privacy and consent, and the commercialisation of genetic information.