What is DNA Day?

The Greenwood Genetic Center is excitedly celebrating DNA Day for the entire month of April through various outreach education events across South Carolina. Students are visiting GGC’s campus for tours and activities and hundreds of students are engaging in lab activities on board the Gene Machine! This week’s blog is a guest submission from the NHGRI who promotes and coordinates DNA Day activities around the country.

What is DNA Day?

The National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is celebrating its 15th annual National DNA Day
this year. National DNA Day commemorates the successful completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003 and the discovery of the DNA double helix in
1953. NHGRI began celebrating this day annually on April 25th after the 108th Congress passed concurrent resolutions in 2003 designating it as “National
DNA Day”.

Cool, how can I get involved?

There are two ways you can celebrate with NHGRI. The first is to become a member of the National DNA Day Network. Becoming a partner with us is easy; all
you have to do is host your own DNA Day event. As a partner, you will join a network of other organizations that are engaging students on the latest
genomics research and how it impacts our lives. In addition, you will have access to free resources to help you
launch your own DNA Day campaign in your community. We offer a starter kit that includes DNA Day logos, PowerPoint slides, nametags, sample press releases,
and other materials to help make your event a success.

The second way to celebrate DNA Day is to attend an event or participate in an activity related to genomics and genetics. You can visit our interactive map to find an event near you. You can also check out our extensive page of genetics education activities for at-home use or for the classroom. The
Get Activity Ideas page provides a list of activities with short descriptions that can be filtered to find specific interest areas. Activities
range from interactive web modules, to hands-on activities, to lesson plans for the classroom.

What else is happening for DNA Day?

NHGRI is leading the following National DNA Day activities:

• April 25, 1 p.m.: NHGRI will host a National DNA Day Twitter Chat with the hashtag #DNADay17. This moderated discussion will focus
  on a variety of topics including careers, technology, research and other current topics in genomics.

• April 28, 4 p.m.: The Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History and NHGRI will host a presentation by Dr. Dayna
  Dreger, focusing on a Human Origins Today (HOT) topic.

Visit the Celebrate with NHGRI page for details regarding these events and more.

If you are planning an event, NHGRI would love to hear from you. Please contact dnaday@nih.gov if you would like
your event featured on our website or need advice about hosting an event.