Genetics and Pop Culture

Just returned from a conference in Cleveland, Ohio, dealing with the many different aspects and potential effects of sequencing the human genome. I'll write in the next couple of days about items that particularly interested me.

But first, what is genomics?

I hate to admit it, but when I first joined a group at the Utah Department of Health to discuss genomics, I had no idea what it was. Surprising to me was the fact that others gave me quick definitions, but they varied considerably. So, here's some of the ones you might consider:

Wikipedia: Genomics is the study of an organism's entire genome. The field includes intensive efforts to determine the entire DNA sequence of organisms and fine-scale genetic mapping efforts. The field also includes studies of intragenomic phenomena such as heterosis, epistasis, pleiotropy and other interactions between loci and alleles within the genome. In contrast, the investigation of single genes, their functions and roles, something very common in today's medical and biological research, and a primary focus of molecular biology, does not fall into the definition of genomics, unless the aim of this genetic, pathway, and functional information analysis is to elucidate its effect on, place in, and response to the entire genome's networks.

This election season, the word on everybody’s lips is “change.” After any two-term presidency, people are eager for a new face, new ideas, and new policies. Now, with primary campaign season well underway, the field has narrowed for both parties. Debates and national interest have swung from national security, to immigration issues, to economics, and more. But “science” issues, like government funding for research, have been conspicuously absent from the candidates’ debates. Even global warming has been a little-touched topic, couched in concerns of national energy security, when it is addressed.

We've all seen stories of people who traveled to a country other then the US to get medical care. We most often read about those who go for major surgery. Have you or anyone you know ever done this? Some readers are interested in hearing details. You can register on this site and give a name you make up. Your e-mail address--needed for registration--will be used only for confirming the message is not spam.

Let's hear from you.

Marie Godfrey, PhD

A close friend of mine asked me some time ago what company she should order a confidential paternity test from. I told her I wouldn't dig deep into individual companies until she was able to tell me she knew what she would do with the results. I haven't heard from her lately on this subject, so she either went ahead and did something on her own or gave up the idea for now.

In the past week or two, a couple of people submitting comments to geneforum have asked for the name of a paternity testing company.

Because our organization is currently operating on no outside fundiing, we've chosen to keep our website simple. One loss, as far as I'm concerned, is the inability to search for specific blog entries using key words. I'm sorry that is the case. A search engine that is not flexible enough to find what you are looking for is worse, we believe, than nothing.

So, here's what you do if you are interested in a particular topic: click on the linkis at the left, by subject. There was only one entry in bioweapons--the blogger quit almost immediately, so that's not on the list. However, the other general topics are. They look really weird, you say. That's true, but for some programming reason I do not understand, such topic lists look weird on a number of sites--including those written by professionals who really know their html, etc.

I was once lucky enough to teach genetics to an advanced placement biology class in high school and was able to teach Mendelian genetics after teaching about DNA, RNA, etc. I also had my students read Huxley's Brave New World. In the Mendel unit, they did fruit fly crosses and were to use their results to respond to Mendel's letter about the seven "inheritable units" he studied. They had to identify and name the mutation they were studying, then follow its inheritance through two generations. What mattered in the final analysis was how they interpreted their data in comparison with Mendel's predictions. Naturally, I chose mutations that didn't seem to fit predictions.

I got side-tracked today to a computer guru site, one portion of which deals with general issues. In this case, a writer wanted to get an update on genetics before he started a new course at college. He asked a series of questions basically worded as vocabulary definitions

In geneticss, can it be said that:

Codons are composed of three bases
Alleles are composed of any (within reason) number of codons
Chromatids are formed by lots and lots of alleles
Chromosomes are formed by two chromatids (except during 2nd stage meiosis)
Genomes are formed by the full number of chromasomes found in a cell.

The human genome has been sequenced. Genetic testing--according to media and advertisements—is available to help you determine how to live the rest of your life. The price for this information had dropped below $1000. Are we any closer to the promises of cures for debilitating diseases?

Douglas Kamerow, former US assistant surgeon general and associate editor of the British Medical Journal, in an article dated 5 January 2008, asks what have we gotten for our money?

Yesterday, the blog received a comment from a site that might be of interest to those in

public health genomics and genetically modified organisms:

new website on public health with section on GMOs

Submitted by Martin Donohoe on Mon, 11/19/2007 - 6:09am.

I have recently developed a website covering public health and social justice, which can be found at http://www.phsj.org or at http://www.publichealthandsocialjustice.org. The website covers the social, economic, environmental, human rights, and cultural contributors to health and disease. The site contains articles, slide shows, syllabi, and other documents. References for most of the information contained in the slide shows can be found in the accompanying articles. Presentations will be updated a few times per year.

I hereby express my sincere apologies to Craig Venter for describing him as "an
egotistical pompous ass". No, not in this blog--but verbally to friends and co-workers.

Venter gave an excellent lecture last night in Portland, Oregon as part of a local science lecture series. Basically, he focused on his book being sold in the lobby--as any lecture-giver would do--and his tone was often patting himself on the back for standing up to authority and being successful. But, successful people are entitled; and he's certainly successful:

• He developed a computer technique for fast sequencing of genomes and accomplished mapping of the human genome (his) with considerably less time and cost than the Department of Energy results published at the same time.
• He has since mapped over 50 genomes, discovered thousands of new organisms, and expanded the list of known genes in mammalian organisms.
• He has focused people on the genome and its wonders in ways "boring" scientists have not.
• He has turned venture capital and private donors' money into reams of knowledge.
• He's fun to listen to.

I was most surprised to learn that his group spent a year and a half debating the ethics of sequencing the human genome before the work was done.  He also reminded me that his results are posted on the Internet, available for anyone to see and use. He publishes in the free-access online journal, PLoS.