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Canberra, Friday 6 April, 2001
Dive into the gene pool
The Australian Institute of Sport's swimming pool will be transformed
into a "human" gene pool today in the name of science.
Australian 100-metre swimming champion, Sarah Ryan; 2000 Paralympian
of the Year, Siobhan Paton and students from eight local primary schools
will leap into the pool with a 150-metre model of DNA to launch The Australian
National University's Science Festival outreach project.
The colourful model of the human genome sequence has been constructed
by students from Forrest, Torrens, Wanniassa Hills, Southern Cross, Yarralumla,
Lyneham, Fadden and Farrer Primary Schools. This outreach project is designed
to show the links between the mathematical and scientific research which
is currently being undertaken at the ANU by researchers from the John
Curtin School of Medical Research, Research School of Biological Sciences
and the Centre for Mathematics and its Applications in helping to decode
the DNA story. The research will help target specific genes for investigation,
improving our understanding of how illnesses such as asthma develop at
the molecular level and may eventually lead to a cure or treatment.
The Year Six students have been introduced to the "detective" work involved
in understanding the gene sequence.
"Dive into the Gene Pool" is ANU's theme at the 2001 Australian Science
Festival. The DNA display will feature at the ANU's stand for the Festival
from 27 April to 7 May at the National Convention Centre.
What:
Launch of "Dive in to the Gene Pool"
Who: AIS swimmers
When: 11.15am Monday 9 April
Where: AIS Swimming Pool, Leverrier Crescent,
Bruce
For further information or to arrange an interview please contact:
Anna Damiano Marketing & Communications Division, 02 6125 0794 (W) 0416 249 214
(M)
or Eliza Waterford, Marketing & Communications Division, 02 6125 4144 (W) 0410 637
858 (M)
No 29/2001
© 2000 Marketing & Communications Division,
The Australian National University.
Questions or Comments?
Last Modified Tue, July 16, 2002
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