April 25 - National DNA Day

Happy National DNA Day! On April 25, people across the nation recognize this day.  

On this day in 1953, American molecular biologist, geneticist and zoologist James Watson and British molecular biologist, biophysicist, and neuroscientist Francis Crick formally announced their discovery deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in a short letter published in the science journal, Nature.  

Fast forward to 1990 when scientists from around the world came together to begin mapping the human genome. 

In the fields of molecular biology and genetics, a genome is the genetic material of an organism. It consists of DNA. 

The genome includes both the genes and the noncoding DNA, as well as mitochondrial DNA and chloroplast DNA. The study of the genome is called genomics. 

Known as The Human Genome Project, approximately two thousand scientists in six countries set to work mapping the nucleotides contained in human DNA.  

In the process, the project learned that humans share genes with other species. Some of the species the project mapped included yeast, mice and the fruit fly – all species commonly studied in science already. 

"The genome is our map of life." ~42nd U.S. President Bill Clinton 

“Don’t tell me what I know, Travis!” ~Gideon Grey 

On June 26, 2000, the first draft of the human genome was released. By April of 2003, the project released its finished human genome. The mapping of the human genome has transformed medicine and research.  

The ENCODE (Encyclopedia of DNA Elements) Project launched soon after the human genome was sequenced to further study and catalog data related to the human genome. Research including the study of different cancers and more advanced diagnostic tests may change medicine forever. 

HOW TO OBSERVE 

Students, teachers and the public are encouraged to learn more about genetics and genomics. Read books about DNA and its discovery or watch documentaries.  

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  • The Path to the Double Helix; The Discovery of DNA (1974) by Robert Olby 
• • The Seven Daughters of Eve: The Science that Reveals Our Genetic Ancestry (2001) by Bryan Sykes 
• • The Violinist’s Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code (2012) by Sam Kean 
• • 'The Gene' (PBS) (2017) 
• • 'Decoding Watson' – DNA: The Greatest Story Ever Told' (PBS) (2019) 

Feel free to share your ideas about the day using #NationalDNADay on social media. 

  

HISTORY 

  

In 2003, the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives proclaimed April 25th as National DNA Day, as a one-time celebration.  

Each year after 2003, National DNA Day celebrations have been organized by the National Human Genome Research Institute. 

Since this time, several groups have also declared April 25 as International DNA Day and World DNA Day. 

#NationalDNADay 

@pbs 

@SenateFloor 

@genome.gov 

@nichecinema