International DNA Day

This year, 25 April marks 60 years since James Watson, Francis Crick and colleagues published papers in Nature on the structure of deoxyribonucleic acid - DNA.

The discovery has revolutionised science in many areas - from health and medicine to forensic science - and has led to continued advances in research. Today, 60 years on, the complete genomes of hundreds of organisms, including humans, have been sequenced.

Calling it an “epic moment in the history of science”, the president of the Australian Academy of Science, Professor Suzanne Cory, reflected on how learning about DNA at university inspired her to become a scientist.

“I wrote to Francis Crick asking whether he would take me on as a PhD student and, to my amazement, he said yes.

“In making this discovery, Watson and Crick drew together diverse findings from many scientists,” added Cory, “particularly Maurice Wilkins, who shared their Nobel prize, and Rosalind Franklin, whose premature death robbed her of adequate recognition.

“In 1953, I doubt even they [Watson and Crick] could have imagined how many surprises the four letters of the genetic code (GTAC) encrypted - split genes, jumping genes, vast tracks of apparent ‘junk’ DNA that conceal a complex web of regulatory signals.”

Dr Dennis McNevin, Assistant Professor of Forensic Studies in the Faculty of Education, Science, Technology and Mathematics at the University of Canberra, said DNA has revolutionised the field of forensic science and has “become the ‘gold standard’ of forensic evidence”.

“The discovery of highly individualised parts of DNA by Alec Jeffreys in 1985 has allowed us to confidently associate people with the minute quantities of DNA they leave behind. Trace quantities of DNA can now be retrieved from touched objects and resulting DNA profiles can link a perpetrator to a crime scene.

“DNA has even resulted in the exoneration of innocent but wrongfully incarcerated people as a result of the re-examination of ‘cold cases’ using new, highly sensitive DNA profiling techniques.”