Children at Nicklaus Children’s celebrated DNA Day with a learning activity supported by a group of four-legged friends on April 25. Several of the hospital’s amazing pet therapy dogs – ranging from a small Havenese to a giant Burmese Mountain dog – helped llustrate the diversity of genetic traits. Children participated in a dog coloring book activity and went home with their very own plush dog. There were smiles on the faces of the children, staff and even the dogs!
National DNA Day commemorates the description of DNA’s double helix structure by James Watson and Francis Crick in 1953 and the completion of the Human Genome Project (an international project that sequenced the first entire human genome) in 2003. Both of these groundbreaking announcements occurred on April 25, exactly 50 years apart.
DNA Day activities were sponsored by Nicklaus Children’s Personalized Medicine Initiative (PMI) to familiarize the public with the latest advances in genomic research and how it is impacting lives.