Genetics Interview #4: Deb Ligget of Tangled Thread

Part of what I enjoy doing at Genetics and Health is to show a different perspective on genetics. Not just one of a scientist looking down on the world through her laboratory window, but also one of the world looking in on the lab. This series of genetics interviews will include scientists (some heavy hitters are coming up!) and non-scientists alike. It’s important for people within the genetics circle to know how people outside the circle perceive us and the work we do. It holds us accountable and should also offer us encouragement and guidance.

This week, I’m pleased to interview Deb Ligget, a friend and fellow b5media colleague, who shares her thoughts on genetics and how it impacts our world. She typifies the thoughtfull, intelligent citizen who wants to know more about what’s in store for us with new genetic technology so she can better consider its relevance to her life.

1. How have you learned about genetics?

I was trying to remember when I first learned about genetics. When I was fairly young (age 3-7 or so) we lived on a small farm, so my first memories of things like fertilization come with images of my mom and aunt breeding rabbits, or watching the ants and bees pollinate fruit and vegetable blossoms, or noticing that some of the baby chicks didn’t look the same as the mother hen. For a lot of years my information about genetics came through the school classroom; and as a teenager I was able to take some of the more advanced science classes and really get a deeper look into biology, chemistry, physics and such. I focused on other things after graduation, so currently the majority of my information comes through various forms of media- magazines, newspapers, (both on and offline) and a few blogs and medical sites.

2. When you see stories or articles about genetics, what are the first thoughts that cross your mind?

The first thought that crosses my mind is will I be wasting my time by reading it. So many articles sensationalize the exciting -possibilities- that an isolated study or two indicate, and promote them as a solid conclusion. My second thought is often whether it will be in mostly scientific jargon and somewhat incomprehensible, or will I be familiar enough with the language used to benefit by reading it.

3. How do your children’s schools teach them science? Have they (your oldest) been taught the basics of genetics?

Oh my. Well, in the elementary schools the classroom teacher is responsible for covering a plethora of subjects, so a lot of things are superficially touched on or glossed over. It’s a matter of time and making sure the kids will get good test scores on all those NCLB required tests. I believe there is text book reading, and occasional experiments (though the value of those experiments is questionable). My oldest child has learned basics of genetics at school, but we’ve done a fair amount of our own educating within our family as well- if we don’t know something, we look it up in a book or do some research online, and if those sources fail us we check the library. Science is too interesting to only look at it in school.

4. What are your thoughts on the genome revolution and how do you expect it to change you and your family’s lives?

I think it is a great thing to be happening. We as humans have “made do” for a lot of years with terrible side effects in order to treat and/or cure specific illness and disease. I believe that the better we are able to understand the smallest building blocks of our bodies, researchers will be able to develop therapies that target those specific things. I am also hopeful that creating replacement organs will become a standard practice, instead of relying on donor organs. I’m hopeful that with education and good treatment options, that people can make informed choices about lifestyle and prevent illness. Personally, I believe the biggest changes will be how injuries are treated (we have three boys. Injury is likely inevitable.) Protection from environmental agents seems like something that would be studied as well- West Nile Virus, Lyme Disease, Bird Flu. I think though, as with many revolutions, the impact won’t be obvious, unless people start walking around with cybernetic implants on a regular basis.

5. Provided you had a family history and other risk factors, would you consider genetic testing for a disease that had no cure and only palliative treatment?

Definitely. I would hope that by doing so, people who are studying these diseases would gain additional information. Even if I didn’t benefit from a potential cure, I would want other people some day to have that chance. Also, because family history and risk factors do not guarantee a person will develop such a disease, testing would allow me to know how much of a personal risk I had for the disease. This information would be very useful to have, both for peace of mind (not knowing is worse than knowing, in my opinion) and to determine how much I wanted to change my lifestyle in order to hopefully prevent the disease from presenting.

I have focused a fair amount on people and illness, but I think the genome revolution is fascinating because the scope of application is so wide. The little engineered microbugs that can be pumped into polluted water to clean it up. Security measures for everything from personal identity to building access for top-secret facilities. Developing drought and disease resistant food crops. Forensics. It’s everywhere, and people just don’t realize it.

Thanks so much, Deb! Your comments show that it doesn’t take an advanced degree to know more about the world around us including genetics. I hope everyone is similarly inspired to continue learning and thinking about these important scientific issues.