Overview
Genome researchers are discovering how differences in our genomes influence our health and identity. The results of this research and advances in genome technologies will have far-reaching implications for us all, both in our individual choices and what we accept and do as a society.
An introduction to genomes, health and society
Yourgenome.org presents a short video introducing some of the topics we'll cover in Genomes, Health and Society. [Flash v8, 30MB]
Knowing whether a drug will help a patient or cause serious side-effects is critical, and differences in our genetic make up can influence this. Discover how with examples from the clinic and explore the challenges this growing field presents.
With a credit card and internet connection you can buy a multitude of genetic tests right now, and prices are falling rapidly. View our videos of what one man found out, and how he felt, when he went shopping for genetic answers online.
Established to help fight crime, the UK's National DNA Database now holds millions of samples from both convicted and innocent people. Whose samples should be held in the database? For what reasons and for how long? Explore the issues at stake here.
Affordable genome sequencing may become reality for many in the next few years, but what could this information tell you and who else would want to know? Explore the possibilities and challenges that personal genomics raises for us as individuals, and as a society.
In finding out more about how genomic rearrangements occur, scientists are clarifying diagnoses and opening up the prospect of new therapies.