Newest fair attraction: DNA on a Stick
By Jeremy Olson,
Star Tribune
| 08. 08. 2010
State fairgoers wait in long lines for purple shoulder bags and two-bit yardsticks. But will they donate their children's fingernail clippings or blood droplets for free ride tickets and a string backpack?
Genetic researchers at the University of Minnesota hope the answer is yes. During the first week of the fair, researchers will invite 500 children and their parents to answer health questions, agree to height, weight and blood pressure measurements and provide DNA samples.
The ultimate goal of the "Gopher Kids'' study is to map the genetic makeup of normal, healthy children -- and thereby identify the genetic defects that predict chronic diseases and health problems.
"If we know what's normal, then we know where to look for abnormality," said Logan Spector, lead researcher.
But step one is just testing out the fair as a recruiting site.
Spector said it can be challenging and expensive to find 500 average Minnesota children for research, but the State Fair presents a unique opportunity. The 1.7 million or so visitors each summer mean a wealth of accessible volunteers -- plus, the fair...
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