Misha Angrist On Personal Genomics

HERE IS A HUMAN BEING: At the Dawn of Personal Genomics - a slideshow presentation followed by a Q&A by Misha Angrist at The Raconteur on Sunday, May 1, 2011.

Once considered a fanciful topic confined to speculative fiction, DNA-based science has blossomed in the last decade to encompass a wide range of real world technologies. DNA technology has already changed our health care, the food we eat, and our criminal justice system. Unlocking the secrets of our genomes opens the door not only to helping us understand why we are the way we are and potentially fixing what ails us but also to many other concerns. What exactly will happen to this information? Will it become just another marketing tool? Can it help us understand our ancestry, or will it merely reinforce old ideas of race? Can personal genomics help fix the U.S. health care system? Angrist, a Duke University genetics professor with the added pedigree of an MFA in writing, is ideally suited for probing and explaining this often-befuddling field in crisp, accessible prose. His chief focus here is on the slice of DNA tinkering known as personal genomics and Angrist's own participation in a Harvard-funded project to map the entire genomes of its human subjects. Along with providing a fascinating close-up view of cutting edge science, Angrist explores the many thorny questions provoked by genome sequencing, such as whether humans really want to know about their future infirmities, and whether everyone's DNA blueprint should be freely posted on the Internet. A vitally important and timely study of a society-changing technology.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Misha Angrist
• personal genomics
• DNA
• the raconteur