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Human Genome: A Public Forum at UCSC

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the public forum?

1 to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 25, 2001

Are there any tickets left?

No. All seats have been reserved, both in the Recital Hall and in the overflow site (Media Theater, which will have a live link to the Recital Hall). You can have your name put on a waiting list for the Media Theatre by calling the UCSC Ticket Office at 459-2159 or by requesting tickets online. (http://events.ucsc.edu/tickets).

Is there any other way to see it?

Please join us online for a live webcast, which you can access from the campus homepage. (http://www.ucsc.edu).

I don't have access to the Internet (or) I don't have the right software or a reliable connection to view the webcast. How can I see it?

C-SPAN is planning to tape the entire event and broadcast it at a later date. For scheduling information, see their website.

Who will be there?

Francis Collins, director of the National Human Genome Research Institute (at NIH), will deliver the keynote address and will also take part in the panel discussion.

The other panelists are:

Robert Sinsheimer, Chancellor Emeritus and Professor of Biology Emeritus, University of California, Santa Cruz

Eugene Myers, Vice President of informatics research, Celera Genomics

Mary-Claire King, Professor of Medicine and Genetics, University of Washington

The moderator will be Richard Harris, Science Reporter, National Public Radio.

Will the public be able to ask questions of the panelists?

Yes, there will be time at the end for questions from the audience. The audience in the Media Theater overflow site will also be able to ask questions.

Are there any other events associated with the public forum?

The public forum is being held in conjunction with a scientific workshop on the human genome. This invitation-only scientific workshop will be closed to the public and to the media. The proceedings of the workshop will be published at a later date.

In addition, a special art exhibit, Genomic Art: Portrait of the 21st Century, is on display at UCSC's Baskin Visual Arts Center through August 27. Hours: Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m; Saturday, August 25, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Why is this event being held at UCSC?

In 1985, Robert Sinsheimer, then chancellor of UCSC, organized a workshop on the UCSC campus that helped launch the Human Genome Project. So this is partly a commemoration of that historic event. In addition, UCSC scientists are playing a major role in the analysis of the human genome. With the completion of a working draft of the human genome sequence in 2000, eminent scientists are now gathering again at UCSC to discuss future directions for research on the human genome.

What is this event all about?

Leaders in human genetics and biomedical research are holding this forum to inform the public about issues relating to the human genome. A panel of experts will discuss research on the human genome and its implications for the future of medicine and society.

What is the human genome?

The complete set of genetic instructions for human life.

Are they going to talk about stem cell research and human cloning?

The study of the human genome does not rely on stem cell research or human cloning, and these issues are not the focus of the public forum. Research on the human genome has medical applications, because it is providing new information about genetic factors related to diseases and can also yield new insights into basic human biology.

Information gained from the human genome may well have applications in areas such as stem cell research, and the subject could certainly come up during the public forum. However, the anticipated benefits of genome research do not depend on stem cell research or human cloning, and conversely, stem cell research and human cloning do not depend on knowledge of the human genome sequence.

 

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