The History of Genetics

In the 19th century, Miescher discovered nucleic acids. In the 1940s, it was demonstrated that nucleic acids, and not proteins, as had previously been believed, are the carriers of genetic information (Avery). A decade later, Watson and Crick elucidated the structure of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). This was followed by the first attempts to clone and manipulate genes. In 2001, when I began my medical studies, the Human Genome Project was underway. The goal of the project was to sequence the entire human genome. While government agencies used a relatively slow method to do so, Venter was able to make much faster progress using the shotgun sequencing technique. Subsequently, sequencing techniques have improved dramatically, and with CRISPR/Cas9 (Doudna and Charpentier), it has now become somewhat easier and more cost-effective to modify genetic material.

In 2000, a year before I graduated from high school, I read Ridley's book "Genome: The Autobiography of a Species". Reading it made it clear to me, at least, that studying medicine would also include topics that I would find interesting. Relatively soon after starting medical school, I took the electives "Genetic Engineering for Medical Students" and "Human Genetics Seminar" and gained practical experience in the lab. Ultimately, however, my plans to become a specialist in medical genetics did not come to fruition, possibly in part because of my liberal stance on germline therapy, which was not shared by the institute’s board.

When I began working with Dr. Uwe Rohr, he remarked that a great deal of research had already been conducted in the field of genetics without yielding any significant results. He considered the field of endocrinology to be more fruitful. In fact, however, a great deal of research is still being conducted in the field of genetics. The Medical University of Vienna has even built a dedicated facility for precision medicine, where researchers will investigate how genes affect drug tolerance so that, in the future, patients can receive personalized therapies based on their individual genetic makeup.

For me, though, this is all just a field of interest that I explore as a hobby in my free time. Professionally, I've taken a different path. 

Claus D. Volko

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