The age of the genome. Part 3.

The third in a four-part series in which Richard Dawkins looks in detail at the discoveries and mysteries of the genome. In this part he looks at how genetics have brought about advances in our understanding and treatment of diseases such as cancer and diabetes. We hear from behind the scenes about medical advances coming from the discovery of the roles in genes in certain diseases. At Wellcome Trust's Sanger Institute, Andy Futreal and his team are in the process of discovering the crucial DNA faults which drive skin and lung cancer cells to multiply out of control and spread around the body. However, other scientists are more sceptical that the discovery of DNA will lead to a huge revolution in medical science. Although genes affecting the potential for someone to develop heart disease have been isolated, the chances of actually developing heart disease or diabetes remains an unknown quantity.