DNA Video: History of the Species

by Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei
Posted May 31, 2008 in DNA Podcasts and Videos, DNA in General

Work by the MRG at Goldsmiths.
Including: William Latham, Stephen Todd, Frederic Fol Leymarie, Miki Shaw, Ben Jefferys, Lawrence Kelley.

At the core of this work is the idea of feeding DNA data sequences into a rich 3D form generator called FormGrow, to generate organic-looking 3D growth structures, creating an equivalence of the DNA mapped into an alternative multi-dimensional space.

via Kevin Kelly

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Breakthrough: Scientists Encode Genome

by Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei
Posted May 29, 2008 in DNA in General

From MSNBC:

Scientists encode [sic] first woman’s genome: Project allows scientists to compare DNA of men and women

Wow! They’ve encoded an entire genome! NOT.

Usually, the reference is to a genome being decoded although there is debate surrounding the use of that terminology as well. RPM at evolgen says:

…decoding a genome is a long and tedious (possibly endless) process. To decode a genome, we would have to figure out the function for every gene product and how those gene products interact. And even if we simplify decoding to merely identify genes, there is more to a gene that its protein coding sequence.

<snip>

So, let’s abandon the idea of “decoding a genome” and refer to the process for what it is: sequencing euchromatin and preliminary analysis of protein coding sequences.

Photo credit: Walking female form, Wellcome Images via Creative Commons

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What does DNA mean to you? #7

by Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei
Posted May 28, 2008 in Meaning of DNA

What does DNA mean to you?

Reader and frequent commenter NA says:

DNA, to me, means everything. It’s who I am. DNA is what separates the haves and the have-nots for pure atheletic talent.

I think he’s joking, but I’m not too sure. You can never really tell with NA.

(1 comment)

What does DNA mean to you? #6

by Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei
Posted May 21, 2008 in Meaning of DNA

What does DNA meant to you?

Thomas of Aminopop tells us:

I’ve always been a technologist, a hacker. For me that inclination has played out mostly in the arena of computers and software, but the larger Hacker Ethos — of using existing technologies in new or unexpected ways, or of combining new and old technologies in surprising ways — keeps leading me towards DNA. And DNA seems like the most hackable substance on the planet at this point. For me, that insight started with an interest in Genetic Algorithms — a programming approach that leverages raw computing power, profligate mutation and fitness selection over traditional software design. Once I started to grok how GAs worked, I started getting this strange, gut feeling for the billion-year, mondo genetic algorithm derby that is Life On Earth. Here’s this linear data stream — the genome, or better yet, all the genomes — written in this foreign language, totally protean in expression, capable of transforming a planet… I mean, infotech is great, but it’s really nothing next to the power of sequenced protein. How can you not be just totally hypnotized by that awesome power? And once people harness it, I think it’s going to make the infotech boom look like a tea-party. And I’ve always been kind of a closet Life Sciences geek, so that suits me fine. So that’s it: to me, DNA represents the Next Great Hack — maybe the Last Great Hack; who knows what the world — what humanity — will look like on the other side of the biotech boom?

As an investor, DNA means opportunity: huge leaps in efficiency, innovation, design and scale of drugs, foods, fuels, manufactured hard goods, even information technology. Hard to even imagine all of it. I don’t think people generally get it, yet. That’s why I’m doing my blog, Aminopop.com — as a regular discipline to try to get a handle on it all. I don’t even feel like I’m very good at it, yet, but not to try seems kind of insane, especially at this moment in history. So I just jump in.

As a humanist, DNA suggests a moment of truth, historically speaking. Wresting our ongoing genetic definition from the mostly cruel forces of natural selection is going to be a profoundly defining moment. What is human? It’s what we say it is — and what we write that it is, when we master the glyphs, grammar and syntax of the genome. It’s the ultimate act of existentialism. (I know, I know; maybe I saw Blade Runner too many times…)

(4 comments)

What does DNA mean to you? #5

by Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei
Posted May 14, 2008 in Meaning of DNA

What does DNA mean to you?

Reader jhay of The Four-eyed Journal says:

DNA means a lot to me. It’s the reason for my being, from its hundreds of codons and sequences I am what I am today. I also believe that it will definitely shape the future because in this age where Information is a vital resource, what better source of information could you work on to advance human civilization than DNA itself! The possibilities are just exciting!

(1 comment)

What does DNA mean to you? #4

by Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei
Posted May 7, 2008 in Meaning of DNA

What does DNA mean to you?

Here’s what Eric of Seqanswers says:

To me, DNA is the single most important biological molecule, in fact to everyone it is! That fact is motivation enough for me to study and try to understand it completely. It is also extremely important for fueling intense amounts of blogging.

(1 comment)

Taking My Eye Off DNA

by Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei
Posted May 2, 2008 in DNA in General

Eye on DNA celebrates its first birthday this week! In celebration, I’ve decided reward myself by slowing down a bit.

As some of you already know, I am expecting my second child in a few weeks. Last night, I was reading The Last Lecture on my new Kindle (woohoo!), and this passage got my attention:

Ask yourself: Are you spending your time on the right things? You may have causes, goals, interests. Are they even worth pursuing?

In some ways, blogging is becoming an albatross around my neck. The wonderful aspects of blogging–learning, networking, educating–still outweigh the annoyances. But in my present condition, I’m not sure if I’m spending my time on the right things. The clock is ticking and my attention span is shortening along with my temper. And on top of welcoming a new member to our family, my family and I are also relocating to Singapore from London this summer.

While I’ll still be keeping my eye on DNA *cough* over these next few months, the rest of me will be quite busy doing other things. Instead of posting every day, I intend to spend much more of my usual blogging time having fun with my five-year-old and husband before our lives turn upside down.

I’ll still be here but maybe not jumping around as much as usual. (How can I when I’m about to pop?!)

Thank you all for a great year. I’ll be back before too long so don’t forget about me!

(14 comments)

What does DNA mean to you? #3

by Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei
Posted April 30, 2008 in Meaning of DNA

This week, I asked Bertalan Mesko of Scienceroll:

What does DNA mean to you?

Even if the structure of DNA was discovered more than 50 years ago, DNA means the future for me. As personalized genetics is getting closer to people, DNA will be one of the most used words and not just in the scientific community. Plenty of the therapies used in our time will be revolutionized soon and our DNA will play the main role in the future of medicine regardless the dangers it can lead to.

(1 comment)

Books About DNA: The Century of the Gene by Evelyn Fox Keller

by Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei
Posted April 25, 2008 in Books About DNA, DNA Quotes and Excerpts, DNA in General

The Century of the Gene by Evelyn Fox Keller

In a book that promises to change the way we think and talk about genes and genetic determinism, Evelyn Fox Keller, one of our most gifted historians and philosophers of science, provides a powerful, profound analysis of the achievements of genetics and molecular biology in the twentieth century, the century of the gene. Not just a chronicle of biology’s progress from gene to genome in one hundred years, The Century of the Gene also calls our attention to the surprising ways these advances challenge the familiar picture of the gene most of us still entertain.

In a CBC Radio interview, Dr. Evelyn Fox Keller talks more about genes and public perception. (HT: Women in Science)

For more discussion on what is a gene, see this Genome Research article - What is a gene, post-ENCODE? History and updated definition.

…we propose a tentative update to the definition of a gene: A gene is a union of genomic sequences encoding a coherent set of potentially overlapping functional products.

DNA Network member Sandra Porter at Discovering Biology in a Digital World gave her definition of a gene last year.

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What does DNA mean to you? #2

by Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei
Posted April 23, 2008 in Meaning of DNA

In this continuing mini-interview series, Andrew Meyer of Buzzyeah, who achieved notoriety by asking for donations to fund his 23andMe test purchase, answers the question:

What does DNA mean to you?

DNA is my own deeply personal, complex set of instructions that I know very little about, but look forward to exploring and understanding better.

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