Human genome press conference 26th May 2000.

Hinxton : Wellcome Trust, 2000.

3 DVDs (c. 34:00 min. ea.) : sound, color, PAL
3 videocassettes (Beta SP) (c. 34:00 min. ea.) : sound, color, PAL

Wellcome Trust

This material has low-medium production values; shaky camerawork and poorly recorded audio but is useful for its historical capturing of this event.

Tape 1 Chris Myhill (?) gives a few housekeeping notes and then briefs the scientific press. There was a publicity hiccup at the time; the idea seems to have been to make an announcement simultaneously with the US, however the US lifted the embargo early. There is also a tension between the public and private agendas of the different countries (later the same day there was a live link up between Tony Blair and Bill Clinton, NOT covered by the Wellcome Trust). Mike Dexter then talks about the potential impact of the Human Genome project and its historical context. He hands over to Lord Sainsbury who speaks about Britain's leadership role in science and Wellcome Trust's funding efforts. Michael Morgan, Chief Executive of the Genome Project, then goes on to thank all the participants. He talks about the importance of the Bermuda Meetings 1996-98 (captured by the Wellcome Trust and held in the Wellcome Library). Dr John Sulston talks about the Sanger Centre's committment to the Human Genome project which began in 1995. He comments on the success of the project in terms of being on track as well as the importance of making the data openly available to the research community. Some pertinent quotations are projected onto the screen. Jane Rogers (Head of Sequencing), Richard Durbin (Head of Infomatics, who talks about the contents of the genome and some of the estimates which were then current relating to the total number of genes), David Bentley (Head of Human Genetics) and Mike Stratton are then invited to talk a little about the project. The first tape stops at the point of hand-over. Time start:00:00:00:00 Time end:00:34:50:00 Length:00:34:50:00

Tape 2 David Bentley (whose opening words are missing) talks about SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms). He hands over to Mike Stratton who talks about the relationship of the human genome to disease, especially cancer. Mike Dexter then returns to the podium and thanks the participants. Questions and answers then ensue (the questions posed cannot be heard). First Lord Sainsbury comments on the simultaneous announcement from the private US enterprise, Celera. He also comments about the Human Genetics Commission which was set up in response to ethical issues arising due to the availability of genetic data. John Sulston underlines his desire for a 'democratic' scientific process. Lord Sainsbury commends the Wellcome Trust for investing in the project. He mentions increases in governmental science spending to fund genomic research. Mike Dexter then emphasises the research basis for the project. Lord Sainsbury responds to a question with regards to the patenting of the human genome. Mike Dexter comments on the timing of the announcements. John Sulstan talks about the methodology in terms of looking at 'families' of genes. Mike Dexter answers a question about the importance of the sequencing of the mouse genome. Sulston tells the conference that the cost globally of sequencing the human genome had been estimated at UK£300 million. Dexter responds to a question about life expectancy. Ends suddenly. Time start:00:00:00:00 Time end:00:34:40:00 Length:00:34:40:00

Tape 3 Mike Dexter resumes his comments. Sulston comments with some irony that the private versus public debate has sharpened the press's interest in the project. Michael Morgan thanks the technicians who have worked on the machinery which facilitated the project. Sulston says that the genome has been sourced from anonymous samples. Sulston discusses 'junk' DNA. David Bentley is asked off camera about whether the sample was racially diverse (the answer is indiscernible). Sulstan comments on the efficiency of the two labs in question. Mike Dexter talks about genetic technology and susceptibility to diseases such as breast cancer. He asks a question off camera to Mike Stratton; the answer is indiscernible. Slightly off camera, John Sulston is engaged in a controversy; the audience gets up to leave, then the tape ends abruptly. Time start:00:00:00:00 Time end:00:11:20:00 Length:00:11:20:00