Comments on: Genetics is Cute, Sexy, and Loaded

By: Hsien Hsien Lei, PhD

Hsien Hsien Lei, PhD — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 10:47:26 +0000

Frederic: Your approach is certainly unique…. Thanks for the comment.

By: Fredric Abramson

Fredric Abramson — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 18:45:34 +0000

The problem with genetics is that it is morbidly preoccupied with disease and death. All the work in biotechnology is focused on prolonging our exit strategy from life, not in actually improving everyday life.

As a human geneticist of 40 years, it was only when someone asked me two years ago “how can we make genes fun?” that I realized we’ve been looking through the wrong end of the telescope.

So last year we started work to develop a genetic screen that looks at the nice side of life and everyday living. So we will screen for things like dance creativity, swimming, the female orgasm, how foods taste,and perfect pitch, to name only a few of the interesting published findings.

The important message is that genes are the blueprint of life’s opportunity, and not a genetic death march that is inevitable.

Of course there’s a lot more to learn. And we will.

By: Genetics and Health » Genetics Interview #26: Dr. Emily DeVoto of The Antidote

Thu, 30 Nov 2006 20:35:48 +0000

[...] Dr. Emily Devoto doesn’t mince words and that’s what makes The Antidote: Counterspin for Health Care and Health News such compelling reading. Opinionated people are my favorite! That is, unless she’s targeting genetics, of course. [...]

By: Emily DeVoto

Emily DeVoto — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 17:39:38 +0000

Dr. Lei, my fellow epidemiologist, thanks for the plug. Any ideas for how to make health care research as sexy as genetics? Do you know a genetics PR person we could talk to? Seriously, though, bringing together ALL health researchers will help make research more relevant in general, so I’m glad we have this opportunity for dialogue.

I’m going to favorite your blog so that you can help me keep up with genetics. Cheers!

Emily