ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Genome Reference Consortium

Dear kiddo, have you heard of the word genome? It's like a code that makes up all the living things around us, like plants and animals. Scientists use this code to understand how different things work in our body and how they could possibly help us.

Now, to understand this code better, scientists need to make a reference, just like how we use a dictionary to understand meanings of words. And that's where the Genome Reference Consortium (GRC) comes in.

The GRC is a group of scientists who work together to create a reference genome. They choose a specific living thing, like a human being, and try to make a complete code of all the DNA that makes us humans. They put it all together, like building a puzzle, from many different sources of genetic information.

The scientists then use this reference genome to compare with the genomes of other people or other living things, to find out the differences and similarities. This helps us understand what makes us unique and what makes us similar to others. It also helps doctors understand and diagnose diseases better.

So, in simple words, the GRC is like a big book that tells us how our genes work, and how we could use that information to understand and improve our lives. Isn't that cool?