ál Venetianer, biologist and member of HAS, presented genetics, one of the most popular branches of science. The history of genetics is the story of uninterrupted developments from the early days of the science of heredity through the discovery of the double helix, and to the newest developments of protein research, including a widening range of applications. A breakthrough was recently achieved when, as a result of the Human Genome Project, the nucleotide order of the DNA double helix was defined. This is the first step towards the understanding of this basic functionality of the human organism, as the functions - or meanings - of these sequences are yet hardly known. New prospects are opened for gene surgery, and, drawing on the experience gained in the world of plants and animals, new treatments may be developed to cure human illnesses. This is why gene technology is not heading toward a horrifying future - on the contrary: it opens up a range of opportunities which require the assertion of high responsibility on the part of the scientist.

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