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Explorit Science Center Weekly Column
This page contains the material submitted to the local paper - The Davis Enterprise - for Explorit Science Center's news column published in
that paper on Fridays.
Date: April 11, 2008
Author: Neil Kelley Learn about genetic differences between humans, chimps We’ve all heard the science factoid that we humans share more than 95 percent of our genetic code with our nearest living relative, the chimpanzee. It’s a striking figure, but it can be difficult to understand what this number really means. Can a mere handful of genetic differences explain why our species has spread across the globe, developed language and art and voyaged to the moon while our ape relatives remain confined to the tropical forests of Africa and Asia? Dr. Katherine Pollard of the UC Davis Genome Center will put the numbers in perspective in an upcoming Explorit Science Center lecture at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday (April 15) at the Davis public library, 315 E 14th St. “What Made Us Human? Comparing the Human and Chimp Genome” will explain how scientists are unraveling the secrets of our DNA along with those of our closest relatives. Intel sponsors the lecture series. As a preview to the presentation, I asked Dr. Pollard about her research and how she went from studying math and human health to searching our genome for the essence of humanity. Explorit: Much of your research has been at the intersection of math and biology – were you initially drawn to one of these subjects first or have you always been interested in both? Pollard: My dad is a research biologist and so I have always had biology in my life. But I was not particularly drawn to it as a subject to study in school. As an undergraduate, I chose to major in anthropology. I was always good at math, and a calculus professor convinced me to double-major in math and anthropology. In my work between college and grad school and my first few years as a graduate student, I focused on public health, in particular how cultural practices influence health. Then, I got drawn into biotechnology and molecular biology. Finally, as a postdoctoral researcher in Santa Cruz, I saw how I could put it all together and study human evolution with molecular data. Explorit: What are some of the practical applications of your research into human/chimp genetic differences? Pollard: Many of these human-specific sequences are associated with disease genes, and some even vary between humans. As we figure out what these sequences do, we will no doubt contribute to knowledge about complex diseases, such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease. Explorit: Many traits and behaviors have been suggested as uniquely human qualities – the use of fire or tools, language, altruism – what can genes tell us about what makes humans “human?” Pollard: A lot of these "human" traits are actually being found in other animals, even some not so closely related to us such as crows or elephants. Nonetheless, most people would agree that we have some unique aspects of our biology and behavior. Traits such as using fire – or the Internet for that matter – can be thought of like complex diseases. There won’t be one region of the genome that underlies using fire, just like there isn't a single diabetes gene. But, developing a physical or cultural trait is no doubt dependent on a bunch of small biological breakthroughs, each of which has a genetic basis. The story of our whole evolution is sitting in our genome, and the work of unraveling the details will keep me and many other researchers busy for a long time. ___________ Think of the Beatles’ “I Wanna Hold Your Hand,” then substitute the words “You Better Wash Your Hands.” That’s one of Dr. Carl Winter’s music parodies about food safety. The UC Davis food toxicologist will perform his educational parodies at two concerts at Explorit’s main site, 2801 Second St., on Saturday, April 12. The first will begin at 2 p.m., the second at 2:45 p.m. Related health and nutrition activities for this Family Exploration will run from 1-2 p.m. and 3:15 to 4 p.m. Winter, who is director of the university’s FoodSafe program, entertains people of all ages with his lyrics about food-borne illness, safe food-handling techniques and nutrition. (Another example: “We Are the Microbes,” sung to Queen’s “We Are the Champions.”) For a taste of his work, visit <http://foodsafe.ucdavis.edu>http://foodsafe.ucdavis.edu. The concerts are free with paid admission to the museum. -------------------------------------------------------------------- |