The Genome Odyssey by
In The Genome Odyssey, Dr. Euan Ashley, Stanford professor of medicine and genetics, brings the breakthroughs of precision medicine to vivid life through the real diagnostic journeys of his patients and the tireless efforts of his fellow doctors and scientists as they hunt to prevent, predict, and beat disease. Since the Human Genome Project was completed in 2003, the price of genome sequencing has dropped at a staggering rate. It's as if the price of a Ferrari went from $350,000 to a mere forty cents. Through breakthroughs made by Dr. Ashley's team at Stanford and other dedicated groups around the world, analyzing the human genome has decreased from a heroic multibillion dollar effort to a single clinical test costing less than $1,000. For the first time we have within our grasp the ability to predict our genetic future, to diagnose and prevent disease before it begins, and to decode what it really means to be human. In The Genome Odyssey, Dr. Ashley details the medicine behind genome sequencing with clarity and accessibility. More than that, with passion for his subject and compassion for his patients, he introduces readers to the dynamic group of researchers and doctor detectives who hunt for answers, and to the pioneering patients who open up their lives to the medical community during their search for diagnoses and cures. He describes how he led the team that was the first to analyze and interpret a complete human genome, how they broke genome speed records to diagnose and treat a newborn baby girl whose heart stopped five times on the first day of her life, and how they found a boy with tumors growing inside his heart and traced the cause to a missing piece of his genome. These patients inspire Dr. Ashley and his team as they work to expand the boundaries of our medical capabilities and to envision a future where genome sequencing is available for all, where medicine can be tailored to treat specific diseases and to decode pathogens like viruses at the genomic level, and where our medical system as we know it has been completely revolutionized.
The Case Against Perfection by
Although most people find at least some forms of genetic engineering disquieting, it is not easy to articulate why. What is wrong with re-engineering our nature? 'The Case Against Perfection' explores these and other moral quandaries connected with the quest to perfect ourselves and our children.
All humans share the same set of genes, but the ones in your genome are a once in a lifetime collection, unique in all of history. The nature of our genes, their contribution to who we are as individual people, as a culture, and as a species leads to many unanswerable questions. In this course, students will develop knowledge of gene structures and the expression of genetic information as heritable traits. To build context for how society has responded to human genetic knowledge, students will investigate the misapplication of genetics through historic eugenic programs, discuss the personal and societal impact of genetic disorders, and investigate a future where gene augmentation for therapeutic and artistic goals is possible. We will consider the technological challenges, ethical conundrums, and personal dilemma that are associated with the risks and benefits of CRISPR-based gene therapy. Throughout, we will probe how the perception and function of our genetics defines us as a human, regardless of ability or disability.
Below are some of our most useful resources for this Brock Experience. You will find the complete list of Biological and Environmental Sciences databases on our A-Z list.
OMIM: Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man®: An Online Catalog of Human Genes and Genetic Disorders
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