HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology in Cummings Research Park is hosting an afternoon of events to celebrate DNA Day 2011 on April 25.

DNA Day is celebrated annually on April 25. It commemorates the day in 1953 when James Watson and Francis Crick's article on the structure of DNA was published, and the day in 2003 when the the Human Genome Project was completed.

Events begin at 1 p.m. with a brown bag lunch and "genome walk"/treasure hunt at McMillian Park.

McMillian Park's double helix walkway is the ideal location for a genome walk that encourages visitors to follow a variety of genomic pathways that explain mechanisms in human health and disease.

The treasure hunt will have participants track the identity of specific genes, such as those linked with cancer and other diseases, and genes critical to the development of bone, skin, muscle and blood. Two pathways will feature genes studied by Alabama scientists.

Two presentations will be offered later in the afternoon at the Jackson Center, 600 Genome Way next to HudsonAlpha.

Dr. Neil Lamb, HudsonAlpha's director of educational outreach, will present his Top 10 Biotech Headlines from 2:30 p.m.-3:15 p.m. His presentation will be followed by the State of HudsonAlpha address by Dr. Rick Myers, HudsonAlpha's president and director, from 3:30 p.m.-4:24 p.m.