Gene Genie #18 with the PG Tips Chimp

by Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei
Posted October 21, 2007 in DNA Podcasts and Videos, DNA in General

Welcome to Gene Genie #18 with the Personal Genomics (PG) Tips Chimp!

Grrlscientist at Living the Scientific Life examines the genetic link between SSRIs and suicidal ideation. (Editor’s note: Neuromark has begun developing two trials for the first genetic test to examine the markers–GRIK2 and GRIA3–that increase the risk of suicidal thoughts in people taking Celexa.)

Alvaro Fernandez of SharpBrains attended the 2007 Aspen Forum at which genetics and genomics featured prominently (see items 7 and 9).

Blaine Bettinger of The Genetic Genealogist goes all Shakespeare on us and asks: To Sequence or Not to Sequence - That is the Question. (In my poll about sequencing, 69 out of 100 respondents wanted to have their genome sequenced.)

John Fossella at Origins Genome Resources has a reminder that Dr. James Watson might find interesting - Having intelligence may have its limitations, but a thin corpus callosum is not thus handicapped.

Speaking of Dr. James Watson’s recent remarks on race and intelligence, Anasua at Gladly Beyond Any Distance explores the controversy in depth. And Jonathan Eisen at The Tree of Life wants to know whose genome should Roche/454 sequence to make up for selecting Watson’s? Harsh!

NOVA aired Ghost in Your Genes this past week about the epigenome. Wenchypoo at Wisdom from Wenchypoo’s Mental Wastebasket saw it and reminds us to think and act long-term because everything we do could have a physiological effect on our children and their children. Yvette at Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast also caught the program and thought that it was a little too advanced for the average viewer and didn’t care much for the title either.

With only two more months to go until 2008, Ramunas at Cancer Genetics has been busy tallying Exciting Discoveries of 2007 - Breast Cancer.

Walter at Highlight HEALTH also takes a closer look at breast cancer in Individual Genetics, Coffee Consumption, BRCA1 and Breast Cancer.

Mary Emma Allen of Alzheimer’s Notes ponders - Does Alzheimer’s Follow a Family Gene? And the answer, of course, is yes.

Professor of Classics Kristina Chew of Autism Vox delves into her area of expertise in Language Genetics: Knots and Finches. I loved her opening sentence:

Is language (like tying knots) unique to humans—is being able to talk and think in language part of being human?

My DNA Direct colleague, Trish Brown, who’s also VP of Clinical Affairs, has a new blog up at Revolution Health called Genes in Context. She tackles genetic testing and homosexuality in her first post. Welcome to the blogosphere, Trish!

Also new to the blogosphere is clinical geneticist, Matt Mealiffe, at DNA and You. He has a fascinating post about genetic voyeurism on TV in which a woman reveals the results of her BRCA test on camera shortly after learning them for the first time herself.

Matt also blogs at Cancer and Your Genes where he explains medicare and genetic testing for cancer risk. As if medicine is not complicated enough, the reimbursement model is ten times more so!

Keith Robison of Omics! Omics! has a real mash-up combining Harry Potter, Sherlock Holmes, Martha’s Vineyard & Science Magazine. Confused? So was I until I read his post.

Gene Genie founder Berci Mesko at ScienceRoll has rounded up some timeless resources for personalized medicine. Can anything on the Web truly be timeless? I know this science blogger isn’t….

Hope you enjoyed meeting the PG Tips Chimp and learning more about genetics, genomics, and health! The next issue of Gene Genie will be on November 4th at ScienceRoll.

Tags: pg tips chimp, genetics, genes, dna, gene genie, health, medicine, diseases

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34 Comments »

Comment by Mary Emma Allen

2007-10-21 19:54:28

I enjoyed participating in Gene Genie today, Hsien. Thanks for finding an answer to my question and linking to it. I mentioned the Gene Genie round-up on my Alzheimer’s Notes blog.

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Comment by Hsien-Hsien Lei, PhD

2007-10-21 20:16:28

Thanks, Mary Emma!

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Pingback by Gene Genie #18 at Eye on DNA « Gene Genie

2007-10-21 20:14:36

[...] 18th edition is up at Eye on DNA . Thank you, Hsien-Hsien Lei, for hosting Gene Genie!If you would like to host Gene Genie, please [...]

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Comment by Berci Meskó

2007-10-21 20:18:44

Great edition, Hsien! As always…

I link to it from everywhere!

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Comment by Hsien-Hsien Lei, PhD

2007-10-22 15:24:29

Berci, Cool!

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Comment by origins g Subscribed to comments via email

2007-10-21 22:23:22

I enjoyed this edition - and especially the video ! My brain mascot will have to get some similar methylation bling

Thanks for the tie-in of my intelligence vs. brain post to ol’ JW’s blunder - what a coincidence !

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Comment by Hsien-Hsien Lei, PhD

2007-10-22 15:25:08

John, We need to do a genome mascot smackdown one of these days. Told you mine would kick your brain’s butt. haha!

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Comment by origins g Subscribed to comments via email

2007-10-22 15:39:01

The little chimp is just too darn cute to compete with will pick one up at the pgtips site - perhaps transform it with the human allele of FOXP2. Cheers!

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Comment by Kristina

2007-10-22 06:57:50

Fab edition (and not just ‘cuz you more than kindly quoted me…..)—-thanks for some great reading. So much to learn.

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Comment by Hsien-Hsien Lei, PhD

2007-10-22 15:25:31

Thanks for contributing an awesome post as always, Kristina!

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Pingback by Gene Genie #18 at Eye on DNA « ScienceRoll

2007-10-22 11:33:22

[...] in Blog Carnival, Gene Genie. trackback Our favourite genetic blog carnival, Gene Genie is up at Eye on DNA. What is Gene [...]

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Comment by Misha

2007-10-22 14:59:44

I prefer mine with honey, a splash of milk and a nice biscuit or two…

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Comment by Hsien-Hsien Lei, PhD

2007-10-22 15:26:58

Misha, You may be the one of the few who knows the real PG Tips monkey…. tee hee A sibling is at the store right now but it would take me forever to work through another box….

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Comment by Misha

2007-10-22 15:33:02

I probably wouldn’t know about it but I happen to be married to a serious PG Tip-ophile…

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Comment by anasuya Subscribed to comments via email

2007-10-22 16:59:03

Hi, thanks so much for linking to my blog post on Dr Watson… and great pic of the DNA sculpture, btw! I never got to be a scientist, but at least I’ve now been quoted on a science blog… I think I’ve died and gone (back) to… er… primordial soup?!

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Comment by Hsien-Hsien Lei, PhD

2007-10-22 17:22:51

Anasuya, lol You’re so funny. I enjoyed reading your post on Jim Watson. I’m glad you liked the pic of the DNA sculpture.

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Pingback by Carnival Galore! « monash medical student

2007-10-23 07:50:30

[...] Gene Genie #18 with the PG Tips Chimp is hosted by Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei. [...]

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Comment by David Bradley

2007-10-23 09:14:07

He looks more like the old OnDigital (now freeview) chimp that Jonny Vegas used to voice-over, but more to the point, his tee says “Ch” tips…w’happen, maaaaan?

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Comment by Hsien-Hsien Lei, PhD

2007-10-23 09:28:13

I know the video is not the best quality (webcam) but his t-shirt actually says CHimp.

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Pingback by Sorting Out Science » Blog Archive » Carnivalia

2007-10-24 04:27:02

[...] Gene Genie #18 [...]

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Pingback by Gene Genie #20 at BiteSize Bio « ScienceRoll

2007-11-19 18:16:48

[...] Issue #18: Eye on DNA [...]