in the desert, money rained down onto the Project
.
Although the Human Genome Project was a stunning scientific achievement, it was but a single piece in the Exodus puzzle. In fact, as Campbell and Morrison had repeatedly explained to their government contacts, the Human Genome Project was only the first step in understanding humans at the molecular level. While the sequencing phase of the HGP was complete, many questions remained unanswered: most important, the function of almost all of the estimated 30,000 to 35,000 human genes. The Exodus researchers did not know the role of SNPs
—
single amino acid changes within the genome
—
or the role of noncoding regions and repeats in the genome: two processes critical to the Project’s final goal of creating a new man to lead the American people into the new century. But before that could happen, Project Exodus needed to understand not only the identity of every single gene, but the function of each gene and how that function affected human illness and suffering
—
both mental and physical
.
Although their work thus far had revealed the order in which the 46 coiled strands of DNA found in every human cell are arranged on man’s chromosomes, the chemicals located on those DNA strands, the ones which contained the instructions for making the proteins that comprise the human body, remained beyond their grasp. Until Exodus was able to identify these letters, any attempts to neutralize undesirable traits, in either political leaders or infants, would remain a high-tech game of pin the tail on the donkey. Even if, by some stroke of luck, Exodus managed to nail down one or two genes that caused defects, until the entire molecular picture was complete, it wasimpossible to know whether removing that particular gene would affect how another gene worked
.
Even as the Project’s successes grew, it became apparent that realizing the goals of Exodus was going to take a lifetime
—
most likely, longer. It would be a great injustice to the human race, Morrison argued, if the two men did not see Exodus through to its conclusion. Even if they lived long enough to solve all the mysteries of the human genetic code, Exodus would be devoured by young Turks clad for battle in white lab coats, and the two would be resigned to advisory councils and the lecture circuit, a.k.a. where old scientists went to die. There had to be a way, insisted Morrison, to use what Exodus had learned about human DNA to prevent this from happening. Morrison’s reasoning had seemed to make sense: The Treatment would allow them to stay strong and sharp, retaining the mental and physical abilities Exodus would demand. Why come so close, only to be pushed aside by younger, stronger men; men who might not share their same vision? It was in response to this need that the Treatment was born
.
Campbell came to an hour or so later, staring up from his bed at the room’s only source of light: a single bulb hanging from a thin strand of wire, transforming raw electricity into the meager wattage that struggled to light the entire room. Any additional illumination spread out from a series of candles scattered around the room, pools of wax forming as Campbell’s sleepless nights mutated into cold gray dawns. A makeshift desk—an unfinished wood door laid across two paint-splattered sawhorses—and a musty old cot were the only pieces of furniture in the room. Both had been there when Campbell first arrived; he never got around to moving the desk and the ascetic nature of the cot had appealed to him.
There were no decorations, just brown accordion-style files stacked next to a beat-up laptop resting on top of the desk. The crumbling brick walls were adorned with a collage of newspaper clippings and printed articles. When he wasn’t working with the Order or drinking at the bar downstairs, this is how Campbell passed the time in Tiber City: scanning the Web or even occasionally rifling through newspapers—the ones that
.
Although the Human Genome Project was a stunning scientific achievement, it was but a single piece in the Exodus puzzle. In fact, as Campbell and Morrison had repeatedly explained to their government contacts, the Human Genome Project was only the first step in understanding humans at the molecular level. While the sequencing phase of the HGP was complete, many questions remained unanswered: most important, the function of almost all of the estimated 30,000 to 35,000 human genes. The Exodus researchers did not know the role of SNPs
—
single amino acid changes within the genome
—
or the role of noncoding regions and repeats in the genome: two processes critical to the Project’s final goal of creating a new man to lead the American people into the new century. But before that could happen, Project Exodus needed to understand not only the identity of every single gene, but the function of each gene and how that function affected human illness and suffering
—
both mental and physical
.
Although their work thus far had revealed the order in which the 46 coiled strands of DNA found in every human cell are arranged on man’s chromosomes, the chemicals located on those DNA strands, the ones which contained the instructions for making the proteins that comprise the human body, remained beyond their grasp. Until Exodus was able to identify these letters, any attempts to neutralize undesirable traits, in either political leaders or infants, would remain a high-tech game of pin the tail on the donkey. Even if, by some stroke of luck, Exodus managed to nail down one or two genes that caused defects, until the entire molecular picture was complete, it wasimpossible to know whether removing that particular gene would affect how another gene worked
.
Even as the Project’s successes grew, it became apparent that realizing the goals of Exodus was going to take a lifetime
—
most likely, longer. It would be a great injustice to the human race, Morrison argued, if the two men did not see Exodus through to its conclusion. Even if they lived long enough to solve all the mysteries of the human genetic code, Exodus would be devoured by young Turks clad for battle in white lab coats, and the two would be resigned to advisory councils and the lecture circuit, a.k.a. where old scientists went to die. There had to be a way, insisted Morrison, to use what Exodus had learned about human DNA to prevent this from happening. Morrison’s reasoning had seemed to make sense: The Treatment would allow them to stay strong and sharp, retaining the mental and physical abilities Exodus would demand. Why come so close, only to be pushed aside by younger, stronger men; men who might not share their same vision? It was in response to this need that the Treatment was born
.
Campbell came to an hour or so later, staring up from his bed at the room’s only source of light: a single bulb hanging from a thin strand of wire, transforming raw electricity into the meager wattage that struggled to light the entire room. Any additional illumination spread out from a series of candles scattered around the room, pools of wax forming as Campbell’s sleepless nights mutated into cold gray dawns. A makeshift desk—an unfinished wood door laid across two paint-splattered sawhorses—and a musty old cot were the only pieces of furniture in the room. Both had been there when Campbell first arrived; he never got around to moving the desk and the ascetic nature of the cot had appealed to him.
There were no decorations, just brown accordion-style files stacked next to a beat-up laptop resting on top of the desk. The crumbling brick walls were adorned with a collage of newspaper clippings and printed articles. When he wasn’t working with the Order or drinking at the bar downstairs, this is how Campbell passed the time in Tiber City: scanning the Web or even occasionally rifling through newspapers—the ones that
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