Summary

As scientists worked laboriously to identify and map specific genes, the call for a complete map of the human genome began to rise. A complete map of the human genome would be essential to better understanding and possibly curing more complex illnesses such as cancer and schizophrenia. In this chapter, Mukherjee goes into detail about these two conditions and their genetic components to illustrate this point. Beginning in 1984, scientists began coming together to plan what would become the Human Genome Project. On this eve of this great advancement, Carrie Buck died in 1983, marking the end of an era in our understanding of human genetics.

Analysis

The need for a complete map of the human genome is a natural and obvious conclusion for scientists seeking to better understand, diagnose, and treat complex illnesses. Cancer and schizophrenia serve as two good...