From basic sciences to Al-Jazeera

Reference librarian Tracy Havlin reports on the DNA Day celebrations, held to mark two of the most significant advances in biomedical research in recent times.

Spotlight on the Human Genome: DNA Day offered students a fun way to find out more about research in this vital field.
Spotlight on the Human Genome: DNA Day offered students a fun way to find out more about research in this vital field.
Spotlight on the Human Genome: DNA Day offered
students a fun way to find out more about
research in this vital field.

Jenny Creed Geraghty, a staff member of the Distributed eLibrary shared the idea amongst her colleagues that it would be fun to celebrate DNA Day with WCMC-Q students, staff and faculty, giving us all an opportunity to be creative and explore the myriad of genetics resources available online.

National DNA Day commemorates the completion of the Human Genome Project in April 2003, and the discovery of DNA's double helix by Watson & Crick (published in Nature on April 25, 1953), with activities aimed at inspiring the next generation of scientists who will use the human genome sequence to benefit human health.

The activities of DNA day here at WCMC–Q included browsing informational pamphlets and then answering a basic quiz, surveying relevant textbooks in the WCMC–Q collection and scanning key journal articles on genomic research. One highlight was the chance to get acquainted with interactive websites, including "Exploring Our Molecular Selves" an online multimedia 3D computer–animated video that illustrates the basic components and principles of molecular biology. It gives a sense of the scale of cells and chromosomes, and shows how the information in DNA is converted into the molecules necessary for life. To find out more, visit the site at
http://www.genome.gov/Pages/EducationKit popup

And much like every successful event, a lot of good food was consumed. Let’s hope that all of the participants who stopped by the library "pods" to celebrate DNA Day with library staff were not only hungry for food, but also curious to find out more about the latest in DNA technologies and related resources for their studies and future research.