Posted By: Jannine Cody, PhD, Chair, ASHG Information & Education Committee
Happy DNA Day! Every April 25, we commemorate the discovery of DNA’s double helix structure in 1953 and the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003, two key milestones in genetics. A variety of DNA Day events are taking place worldwide and online, including the debut of our ’15 for 15′ infographics on recent advances in human genetics – check them out!
ASHG marks this date each year by announcing the winners of our Annual DNA Day Essay Contest. Open to high school students worldwide, this year’s contest asked students to share their views on whether medical professionals, such as medical geneticists or genetic counselors, should be required for all genetic testing, or if consumers should have direct access to predictive genetic testing.
We received over 1000 entries from 43 U.S. states and 23 countries. Essays went through three rounds of scoring by ASHG members, who selected a first, second, and third place winner as well as 10 honorable mentions. (Want to participate next year? Read Dennis Drayna’s blog post on the judging experience.)
The winning essays were thoughtful and nuanced, reflecting a variety of views and a sophisticated consideration of the issues, and we were excited to see high-quality entries from several countries around the world. We awarded first place to Diane Zhang, a junior at Fox Lane High School in Bedford, N.Y.; second place to Ilan Bocia, a senior at YULA-Boys in Los Angeles, Calif.; and third place to Nadia O’Hara, a freshman at Pechersk School International in Kyiv, Ukraine.
For a full list of winners, honorable mentions, and teachers, and to read the winning essays, check out the DNA Day 2018 Winners. Through this contest and our other K-12 initiatives, we hope to encourage young people to explore genetics and inspire the next generation of ASHG members and leaders.
Jannine Cody, PhD, Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, is Chair of ASHG’s Information & Education Committee. Learn more about ASHG’s K-12 education programs.