List of Events in NHGRI History - 2003

2003

• February 2003 – The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) and the Department of Energy (DOE) announce April 2003 events to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the discovery of the DNA double helix, the completion of the human genome sequence and the publication of the vision plan for NHGRI.
• March 2003 – The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) announces a new project – the ENCODE (ENCyclopedia Of DNA Elements) Project – with the long-term goal of creating a comprehensive encyclopedia of functional elements encoded in the human DNA.
• April 2003 – The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) celebrates the completion of the human genome sequence, the 50th anniversary of the description of the DNA double helix and the publication of the vision document for the future of genomics research.
• April 2003 – National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) researchers identify the gene that causes the premature aging disorder progeria. The findings were released online in the journal Nature .
• June 2003 – National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) study findings, reported in the June 13 issue of Science, will aid researchers in discovering safer methods of gene therapy.
• June 2003 – A detailed analysis of the just-completed sequence of the human Y chromosome – a study published in the June issue of Nature, and funded in large part by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) – shows the Y chromosome appears to exchange genes between the two copies of repeated sequences that lie near to each other as mirror images.
• July 2003 – A detailed analysis of the reference sequence of chromosome 7, carried out by a multinational team of scientists led by the Washington University School of Medicine, uncovers structural features that appear to promote genetic changes that can cause disease. The findings were reported in the July 10 issue of the journal Nature . National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) Scientific Director Eric Green co-authored the study.
• August 2003 – A team of researchers led by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) reports findings on the comparison of 13 vertebrate genomes. Results, published in the August 14 issue of Nature, suggested that comparison of a wide variety of species' genomes will not only illuminate genomic evolution but help identify functional elements in the human genome.
• October 2003 – The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) announced the first grants in a three-year, $36 million scientific reconnaissance mission – called ENCODE – aimed at discovering all parts of the human genome that are crucial to biological function.
• October 14, 2003 – The U.S. Senate passes the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2003 (S. 1053) by a vote of 95–0, the first time the Senate has passed a bipartisan, genetic nondiscrimination bill. The bill prevents health insurers and employers from using genetic information to determine eligibility, set premiums, or hire and fire people. The bill faces approval in the House of Representatives and from the President.
• November 7, 2003 – The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) announces the selection of five centers to carry out a new generation of large-scale sequencing projects designed to maximize the promise of the Human Genome Project and dramatically expand our understanding of human health and disease.
• December 5, 2003 – The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) announces the formation of a new branch – the Social and Behavioral Research Branch (SBRB) – within its Division of Intramural Research (DIR).
• December 10, 2003 – The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) announces the first draft version of the chimpanzee genome sequence and its alignment with the human genome.
• December 17, 2003 – The International HapMap Consortium publishes a paper that sets forth the scientific rationale and strategy behind its effort to create a map of human genetic variation.