Spotlight: DNA Day

Cells are the building blocks of life. Everything and everyone starts with a cell. Our bodies are composed of trillions of cells – too miniature to be seen. Cells cannot be counted, kind of like how grains of sand can’t be counted. There are 200 different cell types known to man today. Each one of those types of cells has a different job to do. So how do those cells know what to do? Well, what do you do when you play a game? Read the instructions first, right? The instructions that cells receive come in the form of the DNA.

DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid is the ‘blueprint’ or instructions for life. Like how algorithms are needed by computer programs to work, cells need DNA to tell them what proteins to make. Proteins actually determine what a cell’s job or function is. Children inherit DNA from their parent. That’s why we have mixed traits from our parents.

On April 25, people commemorate the day in 1953 when James Watson, Francis Crick, Maurice Wilkins and others published in the journal ‘Nature’ about the structure of the DNA and the completion of the Human Genome Project which is a scientific project that aimed to identify and map the approximately 20,000–25,000 genes of the human genome. Although the House of Representatives and the Senate in the United States stated that DNA Day on April 25, 2003 would be a one-time celebration, several groups have declared April 25 as “International DNA Day” or “World DNA Day”.

International DNA Day is a unique celebration in which people: students, teachers and the public, can learn more about the human body through genetics. Each year, the American Society of Human Genetics organizes a variety of events that will help people understand genetics and their role in life. Of course, the ASHG is just one of the organizations that helps organize events. Show your love and support for the DNA by spreading awareness and helping other people understand how important the DNA’s role in our lives are.