Why the Human Genome Center at Howard University?
The emergence of the Human Genome Project at this juncture in the evolution of western science is not only impacting the way “we view” biology, but also how “we do” biology. The cooperation and collective skills of large coalitions of laboratory scientists, community-oriented biomedical research investigators, community advocates, and an informed population are some of the participants increasingly required to conduct genome science in medicine. These “mega” collaborative research teams are often needed in connecting the multiple levels of genome science and society. The Human Genome Project is unique among the hard sciences in having as part of its initial core, a component to anticipate and address ethical, legal, and social issues emanating from the advancement of knowledge gained from the science. Because of inherent variation in the genome, this project, perhaps like no other leading edge of western science, challenges science to expand, (i.e., make more inclusive) the context or
