2012 National DNA Day Online Chatroom Transcript

This is just one question from an archive of the National DNA Day Moderated Chat held in April 2012. The NHGRI Director and many genomics experts from across NHGRI took questions from students, teachers and the general public on topics ranging from basic genomic research, to the genetic basis of disease, to ethical questions about genetic privacy.

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Are there any experiments involving DNA that you think we should NOT do?
     Janette Lawrence: I am a genetic counselor at Massachusetts General Hospital's Cancer Center. My job is to identify families who are at risk for having a cancer predisposition gene syndrome and offer them counseling regarding their decision to have genetic testing. If families are found to have a gene mutation predisposing them to cancer(s), I help them cope with the diagnosis, set up appointments for their cancer screening, and help identify other family members who may be at risk. We have some regulations on what is considered unethical or unlawful DNA testing, which aim to keep experiments on DNA from being harmful. I believe that if we continue to aim DNA experiments to help treat, ameliorate or cure diseases/syndromes or to help families learn more about familial diseases, then the science behind it is useful.
Somersworth High School and Career Technical Center in NH (11th grade teacher)

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