Eye on DNA Headlines for 18 October 2007

by Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei
Posted October 18, 2007 in DNA and Genealogy, DNA and the Law, Eye on DNA Headlines

• This photo of a protest in France on October 13, 2007 against DNA testing of immigrants is from François Bouchet’s flickr album. The sign this man is wearing translates to (according to Babel Fish): The family is no business of DNA Family isn’t a matter of DNA*.
• Genetic genealogy has been in the news this week. DNA Network member David Hamilton at Venture Beat has more - Genetic genealogy hits the big time.
• DNAPrint, the maker of ancestry DNA test AncestrybyDNA, has formed a partnership with BioServe to perform ancestry analyses on nearly 600,000 human biological samples. (via The Genetic Genealogist)

  Richard Gabriel, CEO and President of DNAPrint® Genomics: By removing the question of ancestry from a clinical sample researchers can more readily evaluate which medicines will produce side effects within certain ethnic groups, and which medicines will work for the widest spectrum of a population.

• I don’t know what else to say except that Dr. James Watson is in a heapa trouble. I suspect that he might not really care, though. At his age and with his reputation, what’s he got to lose?
• Alan Boyle of Cosmic Log looks at The Secrets in Your Genome.
• Clinical geneticist Dr. Hugh Rienhoff of the wiki MyDaughtersDNA.org is featured in Nature News - Personal Genomics: His Daughter’s DNA.
• Is there a gene for homosexuality? Some hope not because of worries over discrimination, prenatal DNA testing, and abortion. Others hope there is a gay gene so that the courts will rule against discrimination.
• Welcome Chris Della Vedova who’s joined The DNA Network as our 32nd member with his science category feed!

*Thanks, Amélie!

Tags: genetics, genes, dna hugh rienhoff, james watson, dnaprint, ancestrybydna, ancestry by dna, genetic genealogy

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9 Comments »

Comment by Amélie

2007-10-18 15:15:38

If you want a better translation of the sign, it says “Family isn’t a matter of DNA”

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Comment by Hsien-Hsien Lei, PhD

2007-10-18 15:53:08

Thank you! The translation was actually even worse than that. I made Babel Fish look good. haa

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Comment by Barry Starr

2007-10-18 16:38:51

Holy racist batman! I can’t believe Watson said such a thing. It is very scary for the public when a pre-eminent geneticist and one of the most famous scientists around spouts such crap. Yikes!

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Comment by Hsien-Hsien Lei, PhD

2007-10-18 16:54:40

Yeah, it’s insane which is why I so vaguely linked to it. Anyhoo, he seems generally unpleasant all around. Neatorama wrote that Watson called stupidity a disease and that there’s nothing wrong with genetically engineering pretty girls. Of course, that’s “pretty” by HIS definition.

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Comment by Barry Starr

2007-10-18 17:34:52

I remember reading once about how if he could genetically engineer him and his kids he would have given them very dark skin. The reason had to do with not having to slather on sunscreen but still, it seemed like a very non-racist thing to say.

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Comment by Blaine

2007-10-18 18:07:50

Is it just me, or has October been an amazing month for DNA, genetic genealogy, and personal genetics? I can’t keep up with it all! I’m so far behind at The Genetic Genealogist it’s not even funny. I wish I could blog full time, I would certainly be busy enough.

Thank you for helping us all stay up-to-date!

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Comment by Hsien-Hsien Lei, PhD

2007-10-18 18:10:47

Blaine, Why are you thanking me? I should be thanking YOU! Seriously, it’s impossible to keep on top of everything. Thank goodness for The DNA Network. At least I know somebody’s covered it.

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Pingback by Nobody Likes James Watson

2007-10-19 11:09:49

[...] Yesterday, I briefly mentioned that Dr. James Watson, co-discoverer of the structure of DNA, was knee deep in kaka for saying that blacks are of inferior intelligence than “ours” (I wonder if Chinese [...]

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Comment by seko

2007-10-19 19:17:23

OOOOOOOOOOO ,Dr Watson have enough trouble about the comment he made about african , so please let us not ask him about the Chinese because he can,t take more and some body tell him to shut up ..
The man is having Nopel prize syndrome

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