Whatcha Doing April 25? Celebrate with Us!

National DNA Day is right around the corner. Every April 25, the National Human Genome Research Institute  (NHGRI) celebrates the completion of the Human Genome Project in April 2003 and the discovery of DNA's double helix structure in 1953. 2018 is National DNA Day's 15th Anniversary! To honor this milestone, NHGRI is launching the ‘15 for 15’ Celebration. This celebration is centered around 15 core topics that illustrate key genomic advances that have occurred over the past 15 years, and the increasing importance of genetics and genomics in people’s lives. Stay tuned as we "count-down" each of the 15 advances starting on April 5 and leading up to National DNA Day on April 25. Are you looking for fun ways to celebrate National DNA Day and the 15th Anniversary? Check out our DNA Day events below. Share your celebrations, photos and activities during National DNA Day via social media using the hashtag #DNADay18 and #15for15.  National DNA Day will host a series of Reddit Science "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) Q&As beginning Friday, April 20, through Friday, April 27, from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. Eastern. NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins will kick-start the National DNA Day AMA series, sharing his experiences during the Human Genome Project and his vision of what the future of genomics holds. Other topics for our AMA series include personal genetics, The Human Cell Atlas, and the wonderful world of microbes! For more information and to participate, visit the AMA event page. DNAsimple CEO, Dr. Olivier Noel, seen on ABC's Shark Tank, will join us for a presentation and discussion on entrepreneurship and startups in science. This event will be live-streamed on the DNA Day Facebook page on Wednesday, April 25 at 4:00 p.m. Eastern. To view the discussion and submit a question, visit the National DNA Day Facebook Page.  Join us for an informal discussion with Dr. Lita Proctor, a program director for NHGRI's Division of Genome Sciences, about how your microbiome is a part of this microbial planet. This HOT (Human Origins Today) Topic event takes place on Friday, April 27, at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. Eastern in the One Species, Living Worldwide theater. This event is free and open to the public. National DNA Day also has DNA Day events happening across the nation. Visit our interactive map to find one near you!