Why did I pick ACTN3?
A few years ago I was a freshman at UW-Madison and faced with the daunting task of deciding a major. I have always enjoyed science and at the time had been leaning toward a degree in biology or biochemistry. Until, that is, the day I read this article by Sports Illustrated explaining how running has shaped human evolution and how genetically we're still predisposed to our athletic roots. I was so facinated by the article I wanted to learn more about genetics and how our DNA can help shape us into the people we are now. As I read more and more about all of the millions of genes that make us both the same and unique, I eventually decided to pursue a major in genetics. While there may not have been a clear turning point in my choice to study Genetics, I recognized that the SI article is what sparked my interest. Because of this and my own love of running I decided to spend the semester researching a gene that is important to both human evolution and running.