Rhode Island Department of Health Genetics Website

The Human Genome Project

The Human Genome Project (HGP) was started in the late 1980’s to construct detailed genetic and physical maps of the human genome. It will identify the estimated 50,000-100,000 genes within the human genome, and determine the sequence of the 3 billion chemical bases. The HGP will comprise a resource of detailed information about the structure, organization and function of human DNA, information that constitutes the basic set of inherited "instructions" for the development and functioning of a human being. The study of all of the genes in an organism (or genome) is called genomics.

 In the United States, the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are the main research agencies within the U.S. government responsible for developing and planning the project, but the HGP is an international research program. There are also private companies, like Celera and HGSI, who are working on genomics research simultaneously with the HGP.

From the beginning, it was clearly recognized that acquisition and use of such genetic knowledge would have many implications for both individuals and society and would pose a number of policy choices for public and professional deliberation. Analysis of the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of genetic knowledge, and the development of policy options for public consideration are therefore yet another major component of the human genome research effort.