26 April 2017
DNA Day 2017
25 April is the official day during which we commemorate the discovery of the DNA and the possibilities it has brought to modern medicine. For us at DF Medica it is an important milestone because it is a chance to think about the past and look at the future.
The first findings related to the DNA date back to the mid-19th Century, however, 1953 was the year when James Watson and Francis Crick published on the journal Nature the article which suggested the double-helix DNA model. This model, currently accepted and which provided the basis for the development of modern molecular biology, was supported by the notorious "Photo 51" (an X-ray diffraction image of DNA) taken by Rosalind Franklin and Raymond Gosling in 1952, which displays the first evidence of the helical structure of the DNA.
Genetics and Genomics are branches of science in constant progress and research every year provides us with new inspiring insights on the functioning and interactions taking place in our body. In our focus on disease prevention Research is developing in the identification the genes responsible for multigenic disease traits. Moreover, genomic research is focusing more and more on epigenetic aspects and on the nutritional and lifestyle choices which can switch genes “on” and “off”, consequently influencing our health.
This commemorative day is a great occasion every year to remember all those who have contributed and currently contribute to the knowledge about our DNA and therefore the very essential information at the basis of Life itself. Not only, it is also an occasion to focus on the progress made in using such knowledge to improve longevity and the quality of our life.
