• http://www.dna50.org.uk

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the publication of the structure of DNA, the Medical Research Council, Nature and the Royal Society have worked together to produce this highly informative web site. It describes past achievements and future prospects for genetic research in the UK. It also advertises the scientific events that are taking place this year as part of the 50 year celebrations. Ethical and social issues associated with genetic research are addressed in the Science in Society section.

The key events, from Mendel's studies in the 1850s establishing the particulate nature of inheritance to the elucidation of the structure of DNA in 1953, are included in a useful timeline. This timeline focuses on the principal contributions that UK researchers have made to genetics since 1953, including the invention of Fred Sanger's sequencing technology in 1977 and the development of DNA fingerprinting methods by Alex Jeffreys in the 1980s. Looking to the future, the web site reviews the potential applications that could be developed from our existing knowledge of genetics and molecular biology. The source of much of this information is the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office publication entitled 'DNA and after, 50 years of excellence'.

The site is easy to navigate, contains useful scientific information and provides a calendar of the events that will be happening throughout the year in the UK, including hands-on workshops for students, and public debates on topical issues. There is also a handy Science in the News section contributed by the Royal Society.