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Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee:
It is a pleasure to appear before you at this historic moment when we have
just completed all of the goals of the Human Genome Project (HGP). I look
forward to discussing with you the future of genomics at the National Institutes
of Health (NIH), as well as the rest of the broader scientific community. I will
start by giving a brief history of the HGP, highlighting our recent success. I
will then discuss the National Human Genome Research Institute's (NHGRI) efforts
to coordinate our work with other federal agencies, other governments, and the
private sector. I will also describe our new vision for the future of genomics,
as well as some new initiatives already under way. I hope to make clear that
while we have just sequenced the 3 billion letters of the human DNA code, our
work is really just beginning. The successful conclusion of the HGP heralds the
true dawning of the genomic era. There is an ongoing vital role for the federal
government in enabling the future of genomics, and especially in applying it to
benefit human health.
Summary of the Human Genome Project
U.S. National Academy of Science Study on the Human Genome Project The main
goals of the HGP were first articulated in 1988 by a special committee of the
U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS), and later adopted through a detailed
series of five-year plans jointly written by the NIH and the Department of
Energy (DOE). In 1988 Dr. James D. Watson, who won the Nobel Prize along with
Francis Crick for discovering the structure of DNA, was appointed to head the
then Office of Human Genome Research, which has grown into the National Human
Genome Research Institute that I now have the privilege of directing. As of
April 14, 2003, the principal goals laid out by the NAS have all been achieved
more than two years ahead of schedule and $400 million dollars under budget,
including the essential completion of a high-quality version of the human
sequence. Other goals included the creation of physical and genetic maps of the
human genome, which provided a necessary lower resolution view of the genome and
have major value to research in their own right. The HGP also accomplished the
mapping and sequencing of a set of five model organisms, including the mouse.
That information generally empowers the ability to interpret the human genome,
rather like the Rosetta stone allowed the decryption of the ancient languages.
The NAS study also recommended that, "access to all sequence and materials
generated by these publicly funded projects should and even must be made freely
available [to all]." We have adhered to that noble standard throughout the
last 13 years.
Congressional and Administrative interest Neither the NAS study nor the HGP
would have occurred without the visionary leadership and determination of the
Administration and the Congress. At the outset, many in the scientific community
did not think that the HGP could be completed in a timely fashion or for an
affordable cost. But the Administration and key members of the Congress felt
that it was essential the United State government play a leading role in this
project, and they correctly predicted that the project could be completed
without taking resources from other important science. With the support of the
Administration and the Congress, the recent doubling of the NIH budget allowed a
dramatic increase in the pace of the HGP.
Last month, we were able to observe a major anniversary, the fiftieth
anniversary of the discovery of the double helix structure of DNA by Drs. Watson
and Crick, while simultaneously celebrating the completion of the DNA sequence
of the human genome. In June 2000, the NHGRI and its partners in the
International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium had already completed a
"working draft" of the human genome sequence; at that same time,
Celera Genomics, under Dr. Craig Venter's leadership, released its own draft
version of the human genome and participated with us in a joint announcement at
the White House. Since then the federally funded sequencing centers and our
international partners have been working to correct all the remaining spelling
errors and fill in the gaps in the draft sequence, leading to the public release
of the essentially complete sequence on April 14, 2003. This is the reference
sequence we will be using for all time. The availability of the 3 billion
letters of the human instruction book could be said to mark the starting point
of the genomic era in biology and medicine. There is now much important work to
do to deliver on the promise that these advances in genomics offer for human
health.
Coordination with Federal Agencies, other Governments, and the private sector
The HGP would have been impossible without an outstanding partnership between
federal agencies, international organizations, and the private sector. From the
inception of this project, the NIH has worked very closely with the DOE, and
especially its Office of Science. In particular, I have had the great privilege
of working with Dr. Aristides Patrinos, who has skillfully managed the DOE's
efforts in this regard. We have also worked very closely with the governments
and genome sequencing centers of five other countries: the United Kingdom,
France, Germany, Japan, and China. In the United States the three main
sequencing centers funded by the NHGRI are at the Baylor College of Medicine,
Washington University in Saint Louis, and the Whitehead Institute of the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Robert Waterston will be describing
for you in a moment his work as the former Director of the sequencing center at
Washington University.
The success of the HGP partnership was cited in a recent
PricewaterhouseCoopers report, "Managing 'Big Science': A Case Study of the
Human Genome Project," in which the author noted that: "A major
implication for the future lies with the partnership model of R&D that HGP's
organization revealed. Partnerships across agencies, sectors and nations are
likely to be the wave of the future for large-scale public efforts at the
frontier of knowledge. As a result of the HGP partnership, the first chapter of
the human genome revolution is coming to a successful end, and next steps are
underway."
New Vision for the Future of Genomics
This April also witnessed the publication in the journal Nature of a bold
vision for the future of genomics research, developed by the NHGRI. This vision,
the outcome of almost two years of intense discussions with literally hundreds
of scientists and members of the public, has three major areas of focus:
Genomics to Biology, Genomics to Health, and Genomics to Society.
Genomics to Biology: The human genome sequence provides foundational
information that now will allow development of a comprehensive catalog of all of
the genome's components, determination of the function of all human genes, and
deciphering of how genes and proteins work together in pathways and networks.
Genomics to Health: Completion of the human genome sequence offers a unique
opportunity to understand the role of genetic factors in health and disease, and
to apply that understanding rapidly to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
This opportunity will be realized through such genomics-based approaches as
identification of genes and pathways and determining how they interact with
environmental factors in health and disease, more precise prediction of disease
susceptibility and drug response, early detection of illness, and development of
entirely new therapeutic approaches.
Genomics to Society: Just as the HGP has spawned new areas of research in
basic biology and in health, it has created new opportunities in exploring the
ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of such work. These include
defining policy options regarding the use of genomic information in both medical
and non-medical settings and analysis of the impact of genomics on such concepts
as race, ethnicity, kinship, individual and group identity, health, disease, and
"normality" for traits and behaviors.
This vision for the future of genomics is not just about the NHGRI. It
encompasses the whole field of genomics, including the work of all the other
Institutes and Centers at the NIH and of a number of other federal agencies. All
of the NIH Institutes are already taking full advantage of the sequence and will
apply its data to the better understanding of both rare and common diseases,
almost all of which have a genetic component. A recent example of the way that
the HGP and the knowledge and new technologies it has spawned are already
facilitating science is the extremely rapid sequencing by groups in Canada and
at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta of the genome
of the virus that causes Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The
sequencing of the SARS virus genome provides insight into this new and deadly
disease at a speed never before possible in science. In turn, this should lead
to the rapid development of diagnostic tests and, in time, vaccines and
effective treatments.
New NHGRI Initiatives
The NHGRI has already begun several new initiatives, and is planning others,
to meet the challenge of realizing this new vision for the future of genomics.
Many of these initiatives will be co-funded by other NIH Institutes, other
federal and international partners, and the private sector. Some examples of
these cutting edge programs include:
The Creation of a Human Haplotype Map Multiple genetic and environmental
factors influence many common diseases, such as diabetes, cancer, stroke, mental
illness, heart disease, and arthritis; however, relatively little is known about
the details of the genetic basis of such common diseases. Together with
international partners, the NHGRI has begun to create a "haplotype
map" of the human genome to enable scientists to find the genes that affect
common diseases more quickly and efficiently. The power of this map stems from
the fact that each DNA variation is not inherited independently; rather, sets of
variations tend to be inherited in blocks. The specific pattern of particular
genetic variations in a block is called a "haplotype." This new
initiative, an international public/private partnership led and managed by NHGRI,
will develop a catalog of haplotype blocks, the "HapMap." The HapMap
will provide a new tool to identify genetic variations associated with disease
risk or response to environmental factors, drugs, or vaccines. It will allow
more efficient genomic research and clinical applications, thus making for more
economical use of research and health care funds. Ultimately, this powerful tool
will lead to more complete understanding of, and improved treatments for, many
common diseases.
The ENCODE Project: the ENCyclopedia Of DNA Elements To utilize fully the
information that the human genome sequence contains, a comprehensive
encyclopedia of all of its functional elements is needed. The identity and
precise location of all transcribed sequences, including both protein-coding and
non-protein coding genes, must be determined. The identity of other functional
elements encoded in the DNA sequence, including signals that determine whether a
gene is "on" or "off", and determinants of chromosome
structure and function, also is needed. The NHGRI has developed a public
research consortium to carry out a pilot project, focusing on a carefully chosen
set of regions of the human genome, to compare existing and new methods for
identifying functional genetic elements. This ENCyclopedia Of DNA Elements
(ENCODE) consortium, which welcomes all academic, government, and private sector
scientists interested in facilitating the comprehensive interpretation of the
human genome, will greatly enhance use of the human genome sequence to
understand the genetic basis of human health and to stimulate the development of
new therapies to prevent and treat disease.
Genome Technology Development The NHGRI continues to invest in technology
development that speeds the applications of genomics. Technical advances have
caused the cost of DNA sequencing to decline dramatically, from $10 in 1990 to
less than $0.09 per base pair in 2002, but this cost must decline even further
for all to benefit from genomic advances. The NHGRI, along with many partners,
will actively pursue the development of new technologies to sequence any
individual's genome for $1,000 or less. Other areas of technology development
are also ripe for expansion, and the NHGRI plans to pursue them vigorously.
Vision of the Future of Genomic Medicine
While it always is somewhat risky to predict the future, I want to leave you
with my view of where I believe genomic medicine is headed. In the next ten
years, I expect that predictive genetic tests will exist for many common
conditions in which interventions can alleviate inherited risk, so that each of
us can learn of our individual risks for future illness and practice more
effective health maintenance and disease prevention. By the year 2020,
gene-based designer drugs are likely to be available for conditions like
diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, hypertension, and many other disorders. Cancer
treatment will precisely target the molecular fingerprints of particular tumors,
genetic information will be used routinely to give patients more appropriate
drug therapy, and the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness will be
transformed.
Conclusion
This year marks a very exciting transition in the field of genomics, with the
full sequencing of the human genome marking the successful achievement of all of
the HGP's original goals, and thus the advent of the genomic era. When Congress
decided to fund the HGP, it did so with the justifiable belief that this work
would lead to improved health for all. Those advances are already occurring all
around us, and the ability to accelerate the realization of this vision now lies
before us. At the same time, we must be sure that these technological advances
can benefit all our citizens in a safe and appropriate manner. It is our sincere
belief that the newly created discipline of genomics will make a profound
difference to the health and well being of all the people of this world.
While I am very optimistic about the future of genomic medicine, we clearly
have a great deal more work to do to realize these lofty goals. The vision for
the future of genomic medicine that I have described will require major
breakthroughs in technology and scientific knowledge. But I am confident that by
supporting our best and brightest scientists to work together with our partners
within the government and around the globe, we will meet these challenges. We
are profoundly grateful for the support the Congress has given to this endeavor.
We would not be where we are today without your vital support. Thank you.
FRANCIS S. COLLINS, M.D., PH.D
Director, National Human Genome Research Institute
April 14, 1950. Staunton, Virginia
Education:
University of Virginia, 1970 - B.S. (with Highest Honors); Yale University,
1972 - M.S.; Yale University, 1974 - Ph.D.; University of North Carolina School
of Medicine, 1977 - M.D. (with Honors)
Professional History:
1977-1981, Intern, Resident, Chief Resident in Medicine, North Carolina
Memorial Hospital, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. 1981-1984, Fellow in Human
Genetics and Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven,
Connecticut. 1984-1993, Assistant, Associate and then Full Professor of Internal
Medicine and Human Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.
1987-1993 Assistant, Associate, and then Full Investigator, Howard Hughes
Medical Institute. 1993 to present, Director, National Human Genome Research
Institute, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland.
Professional Organizations:
American Society of Human Genetics; American Society for Clinical
Investigation; Association of American Physicians; Institute of Medicine;
National Academy of Sciences; American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Awards and Honors:
Morehead Foundation Fellow, 1973-1977; Alpha Omega Alpha, elected Junior
year, President of UNC chapter, 1976-1977; Hartford Foundation Fellowship,
1985-1987; Paul di Sant'Agnese Award of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 1989;
Gairdner Foundation International Award, 1990; National Medical Research Award,
National Health Council, 1991; American Academy of Achievement Golden Plate
Award, 1994; The Baxter Award for Distinguished Research in Biomedical Sciences,
Association of American Medical Colleges, 1994; Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer
Foundation National Award for Scientific Distinction, 1995; Breath of Life
Award, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 1997; Mendel Medal, Villanova University,
1998; Champions of Pediatric Research Award, Children's National Medical Center,
1998; Shattuck Lecture, Massachusetts Medical Society, 1999; Arthur S. Flemming
Public Service Award, 1999; Association of American Physicians, George M. Kober
Lecture Award, 2000; Scientist of the Year, National Disease Research
Interchange, 2000; The Biotechnology Industry Organization and The Chemical
Heritage Foundation Third Annual Biotechnology Award, 2001; Warren Triennial
Prize Lecture, Massachusetts General Hospital, 2002; Walker Prize, Museum of
Science, Boston, 2003.
Honorary Doctoral Degrees: Emory University, Mary Baldwin College, Yale
University, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, George
Washington University, University of Pennsylvania, Brown University.
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