In the past, we could only resign ourselves to the suffering caused by hereditary diseases. It is Kan who demonstrated that such pains can be avoided. Because of him, millions of thalassaemia families begin to see hopes, the secrets of over a thousand diseases have been unveiled, and the enormous Genome Project could take shape.
Born into an affluent family, and with a father who was a founder of the Bank of East Asia, Kan gave up a comfortable life to pursue his research career. In the 1970s, he discovered that thalassaemia was linked to genetic deficiencies. He was also the first to develop prenatal diagnosis using amniotic fluid for birth screening, which won him the name of " Father of Genetic Diagnosis " . The discovery made by Kan has freed many families from the suffering of diseases. His method of diagnosis has been widely adopted ever since.
Kan's later discovery of DNA polymorphism made it possible for scientists to trace practically every hereditary disease. It also gave birth to modern forensic medicine and the development of the Human Genome Project. He likens himself to " A Slow Boat from China " , inching towards eventual success. His life has proved to us that an ordinary man, if he is focused, can still succeed.
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