History of paediatric genetics: 100 years of scientific progress and ethical challenges

The field of genetics has evolved rapidly in recent years, however early understanding of inheritance patterns began much earlier. Ancient cave paintings depicted selective breeding of animals 20,000 years ago, and Plato was one of the first to record a written theory of heredity. Genetic discovery has expanded over the past 100 years: from Gregor Mendel's experiments on pea plants, through identification of chromosomes, and the discovery of the double-helix structure of DNA. Genetic advancements have brought accompanying ethical challenges, including the controversial field of eugenics. This paper narrates the history of genetics, prominent scientific breakthroughs, examples of ethical issues, and the importance of genetics for paediatric care.