The untold story of the Human Genome Project: How one man’s DNA became a pillar of genetics By Ashley Smart — Undark July 9, 2024

https://www.statnews.com/2024/07/09/human-genome-project-untold-story-how-single-volunteer-became-genetics-foundation/ The Human Genome Project, launched in 1990, was “the world’s biggest science project,” as one news report called it — aiming to read and map a human genetic code in its entirety. It took 13 years and $3 billion to finish, and now serves as a cornerstone resource of modern biology. But a new investigation from Undark, co-published by STAT, reveals information that potentially casts a stain on a project long extolled for its high ethical standards. Undark senior editor Ashley Smart reviewed more than 100 emails, letters, and other digital documents demonstrating that the project’s sourcing of human genetic material was more ethically fraught than official publications portrayed it to be, and pushed the boundaries of informed consent. Read the investigation to learn more about the fascinating story, and check out the author’s five biggest takeaways from the reporting.