Research Ethics & Policy Series (REPS)

Weds. May 8, 2024  12pm-1pm ET  - Hybrid

Social and behavioral genomics (SBG) uses molecular, genome-wide data, to examine whether and how genetic differences between individuals shape differences in characteristics and outcomes such as same-sex sexual behavior and educational attainment. The field is the ongoing subject of polarizing debate and controversy. While claims regarding genetic differences in behavior have long been used to justify social inequalities, misguided and harmful genetic myths continue today – wielded by White supremacists, academic researchers, and high-profile public figures who cite recent genomic studies as evidence to support their beliefs. Meanwhile, social and behavioral genomic data are increasingly available to consumers via direct-to-consumer genetic testing and polygenic embryo selection. This talk argues that the ethical and socially responsible conduct and translation of social and behavioral genomics calls for a full accounting of ‘the acid we inherit’: a dual inheritance process through which DNA and harmful myths about DNA get passed down from one generation to the next.

Location: Hybrid  B102AB Richards Bldg, 3700 Hamilton Walk (and via Zoom)

Registration Required: Register REPS Martschenko

Lunch provided / Streaming available