Google
Trusted Resources: News & Events
Latest announcements and gatherings
How One Child’s Sickle Cell Mutation Helped Protect the World From Malaria
Thousands of years ago, a special child was born in the Sahara. At the time, this was not a desert; it was a green belt of savannas, woodlands, lakes and rivers. Bands of hunter-gatherers thrived there, catching fish and spearing hippos.
A genetic mutation had altered the child’s hemoglobin, the molecule in red blood cells that ferries oxygen through the body. It was not harmful; there are two copies of every gene, and the child’s other hemoglobin gene was normal. The child survived, had a family and passed down the mutation to future generations.
As the greenery turned to desert, the descendants of the hunter-gatherers became cattle-herders and farmers, and moved to other parts of Africa. The mutation endured over generations, and for good reason. People who carried one mutated gene were protected against one of the biggest threats to humans in the region: malaria.
+myBinderRelated Content
-
Sickle Cell DiseaseSickle cell disease changes normal, roun...
-
6th Annual Chicago Sickle Cell SummitDate & Time Sep 28, 2023 11:00 AM...
-
Alcohol, Tobacco, Street Drugs and Sickle Cell Disease “A Harmful Combination”Cocaine: is a potent stimulant. It can c...
-
Debunking the Myths About Sickle Cell Diseasehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZMwkE-W...
-
23andMe, Morehouse School of Medicine and the Sickle Cell Foundation of Georgia Inc. launches the Sickle Cell Carrie...Atlanta, GA: April 11, 2023 — 23andMe ...
-
Malaria-Driven Sickle Cell Trait Selection – Evidence for Modern Day Human Evolution?Sickle cell disease poses a serious heal...
-
Mental Health and Wellness Services for Persons Diagnosed With Sickle Cell Disease in CaliforniaWhat Is the New CA Sickle Cell Disease (...
To improve your experience on this site, we use cookies. This includes cookies essential for the basic functioning of our website, cookies for analytics purposes, and cookies enabling us to personalize site content. By clicking on 'Accept' or any content on this site, you agree that cookies can be placed. You may adjust your browser's cookie settings to suit your preferences. More Information
The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.
Powered by
Support for this site is provided by
This platform is made possible through a partnership with the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America, Inc. (SCDAA) and its member organizations. SCDAA's mission is to advocate for people affected by sickle cell conditions and empower community-based organizations to maximize quality of life and raise public consciousness while advancing the search for a universal cure.