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Genome Project Is a Bust: Expert

$3B effort to pinpoint disease-causing genes too broad, Duke doc says

By Clay Dillow,  Newser Staff

Posted Sep 16, 2008 11:40 AM CDT
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(Newser) – The idea behind mapping the human genome (and spending $3 billion to do so) was to uncover common gene variants that cause disease. But a Duke University geneticist says that natural selection has worked better than we thought, that there are no common variants but rather a multitude of rare ones, the New York Times reports.

Dr. David Goldstein’s view suggests current research is flawed, and that’s why genetic mapping has discovered only a handful of genes accounting for a small percentage of risk. If Goldstein is correct, decoding genomes to look for disease-causing variants won’t work because variants will not be the same across populations. Finding even common variants is difficult, and locating rare ones is currently beyond reach.

Mapping the genome was thought to be a breakthrough for finding the root causes of diseases, but one doctor says the common causes don't exist.
Mapping the genome was thought to be a breakthrough for finding the root causes of diseases, but one doctor says the common causes don't exist.   (AP Photo)
The human genome, mapped for your convenience. But research into common genetic variants may lead nowhere, one Duke University doctor says.
The human genome, mapped for your convenience. But research into common genetic variants may lead nowhere, one Duke University doctor says.   (Getty Images)
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We have cracked open the human genome and can look at the entire complement of common genetic variants, and what do we find? Almost nothing. That is absolutely beyond belief. - Dr. David Goldstein, Duke University

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Duke University • genetics • cancer research • biology • human genome • genetic research • International HapMap Project • Alzheimer's Disease • David Goldstein

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