GRUNN1 gene discovered

The discovery of GRUNN1, the gene responsible for some of the peculiarly Gronings characteristics of the people who live in the north of the Netherlands, proved to be an April Fool's joke. But it has successfully drawn national attention to this northern city where the university is celebrating its 400-year anniversary. See GoNL for more real research on the Genome of the Netherlands.

And watch out for the following events in town:

DNA experience

Wednesday 9 April 2014 | 13.30 – 15.00 uur | Vismarkt

400 school children will illustrate how DNA divides in a large event on the Vismarkt organised in cooperation with the Department of Genetics. This forms the opening of a university exhibition on 400 years of science in the Aa church in Groningen.

Genetica: feiten en fabels (in Dutch)

Monday 19 May 2014 | 20.00 – 21.30 uur | Academiegebouw, Groningen | tickets: € 3

Iedere dag lezen of horen we wel iets over DNA en erfelijkheid. Maar hoe zit dat eigenlijk? Kunnen we aan de hand van DNA b.v. voorspellen hoe ons leven eruit gaat zien? Of selecteren op kinderen met blauwe ogen en een talent voor piano spelen? In the series of lectures called Top of the Profs, Prof. Cisca Wijmenga will talk about DNA and heredity, and what we can and cannot predict given our DNA. Cisca Wijmenga is Professor of Human Genetics and head of the Dept. of Genetics, UMCG.

See the RUG400 programme at www.rug400.nl.