Areas of interest within genetics are innumerable and all require critical thinking and ranges of perspectives to ensure they are approached in a manner that benefits people and science. Here are just a few of the more common hot topics to encourage deep thinking and seeing how genetics can fit into every area of life.
Genetic Privacy and Data Sharing
Who gets to know the information?
Testing Minors
Who gets to make a decision about testing?
Interpretation of Direct to Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing
What do these tests even mean? How do they compare to testing ordered from a healthcare provider?
Equity in accessing genetic services
How can people use these resources?
Improved technologies for testing
How are new methods developed and measured?
Polygenic Risk Scores (PRS) and accurate risk predictions
How can we create the most accurate report for each patient based on the information we have?
Expanding Newborn Screenings
Every newborn is screened with a blood test, what tests are included on that? Benefits or limitations in expanding?
Gene Therapy & CRISPR
There are new developments in gene editing to minimize the effects of a genetic mutation, or change in the DNA. What conditions do we focus on? Overlap with ethical concerns?