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Wednesday, April 1, 2015 — 5A
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
News
‘Genes for Good’ study
could predict diseases
‘U’ researchers
analyze fluxuation in
wages and poverty,
among other factors
By IRENE PARK
Daily Staff Reporter
Doctors may soon be able to
predict if patients will develop a
particular disease based on their
genes and lifestyle.
University
researchers
launched a study Tuesday titled
“Genes for Good,” which aims
to collect health and genetic
information to better understand
human health and preventative
medicine. The study is co-led
by Biostatistics Prof. Goncalo
Abecasis
and
Scott
Vrieze,
assistant professor of psychology
and neuroscience at the University
of Colorado at Boulder.
Vrieze wrote in an e-mail
interview that the goal of Genes
for Good aligns with the aim of
the Precision Medicine Initiative,
which was announced during
President Barack Obama’s State of
the Union Address in January.
Obama
characterized
the
initiative as a research effort to
“revolutionize” how diseases are
treated. The program was launched
with a $215 million investment in
the president’s 2016 budget.
The initiative aims to help
clinicians
provide
the
best
possible care for patients by taking
the patients’ genes, environments
and lifestyles into account when
determining medical treatments.
“What we’re doing is not unlike
that which is being proposed
and discussed for the new NIH
Precision Medicine Initiative,”
Vrieze wrote.
Abecasis
said
the
recent
technological
advances
have
facilitated
biomedical
data
analysis,
which
traditionally
has been the limiting factor. He
said researchers now need ways
to generate and collect a large
dataset of genetic and health
information for analysis.
“One of the questions we were
interested in was figuring out how
to engage large numbers of people
in research in a cost-effective
manner,”
Abecasis
said.
“By
reaching large numbers of people,
we can explore questions that
can’t be tackled in small studies.”
Genes
for
Good
collects
health information by having its
participants
complete
various
health and lifestyle surveys. Once
a certain number of surveys are
completed, the participants can
send in saliva samples to get their
genes analyzed.
The
genetic
information
includes
details
about
an
individual’s ancestry, such as
what fraction of a patient’s genes
originated from which continents.
Though participants can also
download a full copy of the genetic
information compiled through
the project, the information will
not be completely user-friendly in
its current form.
“(It) is probably more useful
for aficionados at the moment,”
Abecasis said. “But that will
become gradually more useful as
more annotation services become
available.”
Currently,
the
study
uses
Facebook as a platform to engage
and reach out to a large, diverse
group of people.
“We thought Facebook would
be a place where many people
already spent time as part of their
regular routine,” Abecasis said.
“And that perhaps they might
answer some questions about
their health as a small addition to
that routine.”
Abecasis also said his team is
currently working on a mobile
version of the app to reach more
individuals.
Rackham
student
Shweta
Ramdas said she participated
in Genes for Good because she
wanted to contribute to the
ongoing research.
“I saw this as win-win, really,”
Ramdas said. “It’s also a great
feeling
knowing
that
you’re
contributing to a research study,
even if in a small way.”
Ramdas,
who
is
studying
bioinformatics,
said
she
participated because her research
project centers on human genetics.
However, she wants to see others
who do have background in
genetics to participate in the
study as well.
“I’d also want my non-Ph.D.
friends to get excited about
genetics
and
its
increasing
presence in our lives over the next
few decades,” Ramdas said.
ALLISON FARRAND/Daily
James S. Jackson, professor of psychology, health behavior, and health education, speaks at the Jerome B. Wiesner
Symposium “Strengthening the Roles of Universities in National Science Policymaking: Education, Research, and Engage-
ment” at the Rackham Building on Monday.
within the scientific community:
the lack of scientific representa-
tion in policymaking, the need for
improved scientific communica-
tion to the public, the challenges
facing STEM education and the
concerns over a lack of diversity in
scientific fields.
The recommendations were
presented by School of Educa-
tion Dean Deborah Ball and Ros-
ina Bierbaum, former dean of the
School of Natural Resources and
Environment and current mem-
ber of President Obama’s Council
of Advisors on Science and Tech-
nology. The list included improv-
ing science policy education for
students, offering resources to
faculty to support science com-
munication and fostering engage-
ment between the University,
state government and federal gov-
ernment in policymaking.
Education
Several presenters discussed
ways for Universities to potential-
ly improve the quality of under-
graduate education in STEM
fields. The most pressing need
identified was for students in sci-
ence to gain a better understand-
ing of science policy in the future.
Currently, the University offers
a certificate program for graduate
students in Science, Technology
and Public Policy. The recommen-
dations encouraged the expansion
of cross-departmental programs
like this. They also called for the
University to compile a directory
of currently offered courses in sci-
ence policy, which would foster
better review of its effectiveness
in training students for potential
careers in research or policy.
Whether through undergradu-
ate curriculum or internships,
John Holdren, director of the
White House Office of Science and
Technology Policy, said scientists
should spend as much as 10 per-
cent of their time working on poli-
cy issues related to their research.
Given that many grants from
federal agencies, such as the
National Science Foundation and
National Institutes of Health, are
funded through taxpayer dollars,
many presenters said it is impor-
tant for the public to understand
the importance of continued
investment in the sciences.
Holdren said scientists, engi-
neers and mathematicians need
to concern themselves with how
the public receives research and
how it is implemented in the pub-
lic sphere. He added that the sci-
entific community should also
encourage young members who
may wish to pursue policy profes-
sions full time.
“Obviously some will, at some
point in their careers, engage with
these issues full time,” Holdren
said. “I think it is appropriate to
train some people to do so early in
their careers.”
A key dividing issue during the
first day of discussion was how
to implement such policy expe-
riences in science curriculums.
Some experts, such as former U.S.
Rep. Rush Holt, promoted the use
of fellowships to allow scientists
to gain exposure in federal offic-
es. Holt, who is currently chief
executive officer of the American
Association for the Advancement
of Science, discussed his experi-
ence as a congressional intern and
highlighted the role of current
AAAS fellowships, which place
young scientists in congressional
and department offices in Wash-
ington, D.C. each year.
James Jackson, director of
the Institute for Social Research,
acknowledged that policy intern-
ships might not be suitable for
every scientist, but said it was
important to provide opportuni-
ties for students who might be
interested.
Other
panelists
considered
more formalized methods of
integrating policy into science
curriculums. Tobin Smith, vice
president for policy at the Asso-
ciation of American Universities,
suggested involving students in
science policy and history courses
early in their academic career,
along with experiential learning
courses and internships. He added
that it is concerning that many
undergraduate and graduate stu-
dents working in laboratories have
little to no idea as to the source of
their funding.
Physics Prof. Homer Neal, who
currently conducts research at the
European Laboratory for Particle
Physics, also known as CERN,
expressed a similar sentiment.
He noted that the College of Engi-
neering allows certain science
policy courses to count toward
optional
distribution
require-
ments in some programs, but that
LSA does not.
Rackham graduate students
Kim Daley and Rachel Merzel
said they believe that integrating
policy courses would make sense
either later in undergraduate
coursework or early in graduate
coursework.
Merzel referred to current
funding methods in science as
a “black box” — rarely do young
scientists fully understand what
happens to research grants after
they are submitted to a federal
agency for review. Because they
rarely receive formal education to
apply for grants, most researchers
face a steep learning curve when
attempting to do so in their pro-
fessional careers. The pair agreed
that formalized courses could
overcome some of these obstacles.
Beyond policy decisions, sev-
eral presenters discussed the need
for improved STEM education and
teacher certification courses. Ball
said the current system of produc-
ing STEM teachers — a system
that primarily involves students
graduating from four-year insti-
tutions like the University before
starting a teaching career — do
not prepare graduates for the true
challenges of teaching, such as
understanding different learning
styles and encouraging student to
pursue a variety of fields.
“The most important job that
we ask any adult in our society to
do — the cultivation of the next
generation of thinkers, doers,
problem solvers — we really leave
largely to chance,” Ball said. “It’s
a problem that’s squarely in the
responsibility of universities, and
yet we fail often on university
campuses to understand our role
in that.”
Communication
In
addition
to
education,
improving scientific communica-
tion was another widely identi-
fied area of concern among many
presenters.
Recommendations
in this area included providing
training resources to faculty in
media communications, hosting
regular meetings of science policy
experts on campus and encourag-
ing engagement with government
officials.
As scientific research struggles
under the weight of sequestra-
tion — blanket cuts to government
spending that have reduced scien-
tific research significantly since
2013 — and other political pres-
sures, there is a need for the com-
munity to develop effective means
of communicating research to the
public and Congress, said France
Cordova, director of the National
Science Foundation.
Cordova said some research —
specifically, she referenced a now
infamous video of a shrimp run-
ning on a treadmill — can receive
criticism from the public as a
frivolous use of taxpayer money.
However, as was the case with the
aforementioned video, she said
there is almost always a serious
scientific purpose for such studies
that, if effectively communicated
to the public, encourages support
for such research.
Cordova added that the key
is not creating communications
experts within science, but rather
convincing scientists to engage in
heartfelt conversations with polit-
ical leaders. In research, where
emotional attachment to a subject
is often discouraged, Cordova said
it is important that scientists are
able to communicate the personal
importance of their own research
to earn the public’s trust.
“When you speak from your
passions, when you have some-
thing to say, when you have a
good knowledge of and you’re
truly interested in the person that
you’re talking with and want to
hear what they say, you are a com-
municator,” Cordova said. “I just
don’t want anyone in this audi-
ence — and especially our young
people — to sell themselves short
because they haven’t taken some
public speaking class.”
“If you take the effort to share
what you care about, you can just
make a tremendous difference,”
she added.
In addition to communicating
with Congress, presenters dis-
cussed the various ways that sci-
entists could make their research
more available to the public.
Chemical
Engineering
Prof.
Sharon Glotzer referred to the
research being conducted in cer-
tain departments at the University
as one of the best-kept secrets in
science.
The presenters recommended
the University provide resources
and workshops that teach faculty
how to better engage with media,
acknowledging how such com-
munication is often different from
what a researcher might encoun-
ter when speaking with students
or government officials.
Value
Another discussion held among
the presenters regarded the value
of public research universities
to local and national communi-
ties. Traditionally universities are
the harbingers of cutting-edge
research and academia, but it
appears the fundamental driving
forces could be changing to reflect
the changing needs of the country.
President
Emeritus
James
Duderstadt highlighted the three
main competencies of the mod-
ern research university: provid-
ing learning communities for
students, promoting access to a
broad scope of knowledge and
verifying truth in sciences. While
some of these roles have shifted in
response to the rapid expansion of
easily accessible online resources,
the presenters contended that
there is still a major role for uni-
versities in serving the public
good.
Moving forward, universities
will likely need to adapt to the
changing landscape of public sup-
port for research. This could, in
part, involve a reevaluation of how
universities value different forms
of research, — potentially placing
more credibility on entrepreneur-
ship and translational research, in
addition to traditional research, as
a path toward tenure.
Engineering Dean David Mun-
son said his college has already
started considering other aspects
of impact that contribute to pro-
moting learning goals. In particu-
lar, he noted that when requesting
letters of recommendation for
tenure appointments, the college
uniquely asks about a professor’s
contributions to entrepreneur-
ship, along with standard mea-
STEM
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sures of evaluation.
More broadly, the symposium
drew attention to one major diver-
gence in academia: professors are
best suited to engage on complex
social and policy issues, yet engag-
ing with the public does not usually
gain them the same level of recog-
nition in their professional careers.
Jackson, director of the ISR,
contended that science rarely
rewards the best and brightest for
taking interest in policy efforts. He
said this perceived disinterest can
color the entire scientific commu-
nity when it comes to engaging the
public.
“For a lot of our colleagues
and for a lot of students, there is
often something unseemly about
involvement with regards to public
policy and I think that we have a
responsibility,” Jackson said.
One recommendation was for
faculty to be asked to include
engagement and outreach efforts
in their annual report to deans and
the provost, thus encouraging it as
a means of career advancement.
Another called for the University to
better promote itself in Congress,
the White House and Lansing in an
effort to provide students the best
possible chances of being selected
for one of the highly competitive
internships or fellowship that offer
access to policymakers.
But value doesn’t just rest in
public perception, but student per-
ception as well.
As the symposium was drawing
to a close, Space Science Prof. Len-
nard Fisk raised one last concern
over challenges facing scientific
research. While students are some-
times despondent over the inherent
struggles of becoming a scientist,
Fisk said it was important to keep
in mind the public arena that they
will eventually enter — the prob-
lems they face now only prepare
them for the problems they might
face later.
Neuroscience Prof. Huda Akil
agreed with the sentiment, but said
she still works to encourage stu-
dents to pursue scientific careers.
As she struggles with the pains of
funding concerns and contentious
policy, she said it’s important to
remain optimistic and demonstrate
to students that there are still great
opportunities.
“The best antidote for the
despair is for them to understand
why I love what I do,” Akil said.
his recount of the history behind
the conflict.
Lieberman said the resolution
rested on untenable premises
and the resolution assumes that
Palestinians are solely innocent
victims
without
responsibility
for their own conditions. He also
gave examples of conflicts in other
nations such as Syria, Russia and
India as issues that should be given
greater attention.
“Israel has offered to recognize
Arab
sovereignty
on
five
occasions,” Lieberman said. “If any
of those offers had been accepted,
there would be no refugees.
Lieberman did not directly
speak against divestment last
year,
though
in
response
a
CSG
representative’s
question,
Lieberman did say the resolution
would
have
furthered
the
larger Boycott, Divestment and
Sanctions campaign against Israel.
During
the
Community
Concerns portion of the meeting,
speakers were heard in random
order. The speakers included
students both for and against the
resolution.
Community Concerns lasted
90 minutes instead of the usual 30
minutes due to CSG voting twice
to extend the time limit.
Speakers
in
favor
of
the
resolution spoke about how they
believe there is consensus that
human rights are a universal right.
They also emphasized that the
resolution did not call for CSG to
make a decision on divestment,
but rather to support a University
committee
investigating
the
University’s investments.
Speakers against the resolution
discussed
the
perceived
lack
of consensus on campus on the
alleged violations. They also spoke
about the issue being a divisive
subject on campus. Speakers urged
students to focus on dialogue
between groups instead.
During
the
Executive
Communications portion of the
meeting, CSG President Bobby
Dishell, a Public Policy senior, as
well a CSG Vice President Emily
Lustig, an LSA senior, said they
were against the resolution.
“This resolution in no way
embodies or is in concert with the
University’s mission statement,”
Dishell said.
SAFE introduced a similar
proposal to the student assembly
last March.
Last year, CSG initially voted to
suspend the vote on the resolution
indefinitely. This decision led
to a sit-in at the CSG chambers.
The following week former CSG
President
Michael
Proppe,
a
current Business graduate student,
motioned for the assembly to
reexamine the resolution.
That year, CSG ultimately voted
not to pass the resolution in a 25-9
vote with five abstentions. This
year’s resolution received six more
votes in favor over last year.
The University has only divested
twice in the past. In the first
instance, the University divested
from apartheid South Africa due
to the “serious moral or ethical
questions” raised by the investments
made in South Africa at that time.
In 1999, the University divested
from tobacco companies because
of their distorted advertising
and
presentation
of
health
information.
After the meeting concluded,
members
of
SAFE
gathered
around the Cube in Regents Plaza
and thanked the supporters before
disbanding for the evening.
DIVEST
From Page 3A
Utah for one year, but the change
he has been able to invoke in what
he calls the “Post-Ellen” era, has
been immense. When he began his
job, he noticed there was already
momentum to raise the standard
for screening efficiency.
“The field wanted change, and
I was ready to do some changing,”
he said.
He said prior to his post, the Utah
screening center was only open five
days a week, delaying screening
over the weekend and causing sick
newborns to get sicker. Now, the
center is open every day, allowing
for a much smoother process.
The panelists concluded the
panel by emphasizing that these
newborn tests detect rare diseases
and many pediatricians are not
familiar with them, creating more
room for error. Gabler said she
had talked to parents who noticed
abnormalities in their babies, and
had doctors reassure them that
everything was fine when their
children were sick.
In addition to parents opting
out of tests for religious reasons,
individual states have control over
which tests they conduct on babies,
which can further complicate
newborn health.
In an interview following the
event, Gabler emphasized the
importance of these tests and said
patients can better advocate for
themselves in these situations
and demand the truth about the
timeliness
of
their
children’s
screenings.
Public Health student Matthew
Fillare said he found Gabler’s work
impactful and important.
“It’s pretty cool that this is such a
non-politicized subject as well, like
it’s pretty easy to get people behind
saving the lives of babies,” Fillare
said. “It’s pretty objectively easy to
do. Like someone said on the panel,
sometimes journalism can have
more of an effect than legislation.”
JOURNALIST
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