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| Yachao Shang Baoding, China |
Many people believe that databases are the business of the computer engineers but not normal people’s.Now consider the gene database which is a government database of DNA profiles which can be used by law enforcement agencies to identify suspects of crimes and scientists to study genetic researches (WIKIPEDIA,2014,September 10).If your DNA sample is saved in the database what do you think of?
Of course the database is able to record gene information for us ,which sounds like we do not need to worry about our identify because everyone’s DNA is unique.At the same time the database can also help scientists to research the gene diseases and may solve many health problems.However there is an ethic issue about the database which is the security problem.
Our DNA is our data which is a kind of personal information, but the government and researchers can easily get it from the genetic database(Trost,2008,June 18).To Matthew Trost’s mind,it is people’s right to protect their DNA samples from being leaked out.However the genetic database is weakening our rights to defend our personal information because we do not know what the government and scientists actually do with our genetic information.
Therefore setting up a database which records the gene samples of people is dangerous for their privacy.To begin with, some faculties can get the information from the database by a technological way then they can spread the data on the Internet.So that some illegal organizations can use the samples to create fault identities which can protect them from getting caught by the government. At the same time the owners of the samples will get in troubles because of the fault identities.Besides the administrators of the database when the database was built may have access to the database so the information in the database is not well protected from being leaked out.Therefore people are not willing to provide their gene samples in the database.
However it is undeniable that the gene database is very useful for the identity of people.As we all know the DNA of every person is unique making it possible for the government to make sure who people are.For instance if the policeman can get the blood from the criminals,which contains the DNA of the criminals,helping the policeman identity people with the gene database.After that, everyone knows that there are many terrible disasters happening all over the world everyday.
Then the database has the ability to help us to identify people even their families are incapable to recognize them by injured appearance.For instance, in the 911 terrorist attack there are many people died without a clear appearance but the gene database helped people to find their families and as we all know that everyone wants to pray for his families and bury them after they are gone.The database can also make sure that people can find their families even they were separated by some reasons when they were very young.So these databases can help people have a safe live by identifying criminals and recognize their families.
Another good reason for setting up gene database is that scientists are able to research how to cure some genetic diseases by using the large number of the samples in the database. Researchers are looking for the linkages between genetic information and diseases especially the inherited diseases which means the scientists need many gene samples to support them to find out the regular patterns and linkages.
For example when scientists are studying the Alzheimer’s disease which causes memory lapses,emotional instability and progressive loss of mental ability,they need as much genetic information from the people with the disease as possible to figure out how the gene has an influence on human beings.With enough data they may find a way to cure the disease.At the same time the genetic epidemiology studies which examines the interaction between genetic and environmental factors in causing diseases also need a large number of genetic information to support the research.
There is a research made by Ann Monica Bianco which explains how the database tools play a role in genetic diseases research.As Ann Monica Bianco mentioned, there are lots of genetic databases which have been developed to make meaningful connections among worldwide scientific discoveries so that scientists are able to work together to study the same genetic diseases even they are in different areas in the world. As we all know, information changes very rapidly and data exchange is always happening.In this research, genetic databases record all the information while the databases are constantly updating and comparing data.So the databases make the results of genetic diseases researches objective and reliable
Furthermore genetic databases are very useful when we consider about the role that the genetic databases play in the study of gene functions.According to Jian-Bo Pan genetic databases provide much helpful information which is consisted of a large number of gene expressions.In the research mentioned by Jian-Bo Pan, scientists use the gene information ,which is provided by databases, to identify pattern genes.
And pattern genes are a group of genes that can explain our behaviors and provide a path toward a global and dynamic understanding of gene functions and their roles in particular biological processes or events.During the research the genetic database organizes genetic information which helps scientists to generalize some formats for quantitative identification of pattern genes.And the database provides the retrieval of pattern genes for researchers to search the information quickly making sure that researchers work efficiently.So the genetic databases make the gene functions study possible.
To conclude,everything has two sides and genetic databases bring positive and negative effects.So we should regulate how to set up genetic databases, making it available for the public to get access to knowing how government and researchers use the gene samples in the databases.So that people trust the government to record their gene samples.Meanwhile researchers can get information to support their studies.In order to achieve the goal, the government should set a law to protect our privacy from being leaked out.The mass also need civilian organization which has right to supervise the process of how genetic samples are used.After improvements, we really believe that we are able to set up a professional database and our gene samples are used legitimately and efficiently.
References
1) Bianco, A., Marcuzzi, A., Zanin, V., Girardelli, M., Vuch, J., & Crovella, S. (2013).
Database tools in genetic diseases research.Genomics, 101(2), 75-85. doi:10.1016/j.ygeno.2012.11.001
2) Pan, J., Hu, S., Shi, D., Cai, M., Li, Y., Zou, Q., & Ji, Z. (2013). PaGenBase: A
Pattern Gene Database for the Global and Dynamic Understanding of Gene
Function. Plos ONE, 8(12), 1-9. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0080747
3) Trost, M.(2008,April 18).My DNA is my data.TEDBlog.Retrieved from
4) WIKIPEDIA.(2014,September 10).National DNA database.Retrieved from
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