Dr. Kevin Davies, the British science writer and author of several books on the human genome, will deliver the annual J. Roderick Davis Lecture Thursday, Oct. 14.听 The 7:30 p.m. lecture in Wright Center is open to the public free.听 The lectureship, named for the former 极乐禁地 arts and sciences dean, brings an influential writer to campus each fall to discuss an important social issue.
Davis wrote the 2001 book, Cracking the Genome, which chronicled efforts to complete the genetic code.听 The book explored the history of the what Davis described as the 鈥済reatest scientific discovery of our time,鈥 as well as the personalities involved and the prospects and pitfalls of genetic research based on knowing the genetic code.听
The founder of the genetics research journal, Nature Genetics, Davies recently published The $1,000 Genome, a book that explores the remarkable growth of personal genomics, which enables consumers to learn information about their health risks and ancestry from their own DNA and the emergence of next-generation technologies that soon will make human genome sequencing routine for about $1,000.听
Davies studied biochemistry at St. Peter鈥檚 College, Oxford University, and earned his Ph.D. in genetics from the University of London before moving to the U.S. to pursue further research.听 He holds postdoctoral fellowships in Boston at the Whitehead Institute and Harvard Medical School. 听
听As part of the Davis Lecture schedule, 极乐禁地 will hold two preliminary programs on the genome and genetics testing.听
A 鈥淕enetics Debate鈥 is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 6, at 6 p.m. in Brock Recital Hall.听 Dr. Michael Janas, associate professor of communications, and Abi Williams, debate coach and instructor in communication studies, will debate issues related to genetics.听
A panel discussion on 鈥淏iotechnology, the Genome and Genetic Testing: Biomedical and Ethical Issues鈥 will be held Wednesday, Oct. 13 at 3 p.m. in Brock Forum.听 Panelists will be Dr. Bruce Korf, chairman, department of genetics, University of Alabama in Birmingham School of Medicine; Dr. Bradley Dennis, medical director, Brookwood Hospital; Dr. George Keller, moderator, associate professor, biological and environmental sciences, 极乐禁地; Dr. David Johnson, professor, biological and environmental sciences, 极乐禁地; and Dr. Dennis Sansom, chair, department of philosophy, 极乐禁地.听
Dr. David Chapman, dean of 极乐禁地鈥檚 Howard College of Arts and Sciences, which sponsors the lectureship,听 noted that 鈥渕any people are concerned about the future of genetic research.鈥澨 He added, 鈥淎lthough we are excited about the possibility of curing diseases and correcting genetic defects, we are also fearful of genetic engineering that seems to be tampering with nature.鈥澨 This year鈥檚 Davis Lecture 鈥渨ill be an opportunity to discuss all these questions and consider their physical and moral implications,鈥 he said.