Genome Revolution Disregards Scientific Method
In junior high, we learned about the scientific method: observe and describe, formulate hypothesis, predict based on the hypothesis, and test the hypothesis by experimentation. With the development of efficient screening methods for gene variants, the scientific method is no longer as useful.
Recently, scientists at Rosetta Inpharmatics identified three genes which were more active in obese mice. Instead of first focusing on a biologic pathway leading to obesity (observation and description) then identifying potential candidate genes that might play a role (hypothesis), they screened thousands of genes using DNA microarray analysis without any a priori hypotheses.
Dr. Malcolm Low, an obesity researcher at Oregon Health & Science University, praised the methods used by the Rosetta scientists. By looking at a huge array of genes at once, the researchers had no preconceptions about which genes might be involved in obesity.
“I think that is really the way to find something new,” Low said.
~The Seattle Times, June 20, 2005
In Epidemiology 101, students are taught that these kinds of “fishing expeditions” can lead to many false positives. In the case of genomic research, however, developing technology will make it possible to understand gene function more efficiently so having to screen thousands of red herring genes will not be a big concern. As the genome revolution advances, scientists will be able keep or eliminate genes from further study without needing to linearly progress through the steps of the scientific method.
