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What is a Genetics Dating App?

What is a Genetics Dating App?

FromSteministas


What is a Genetics Dating App?

FromSteministas

ratings:
Length:
19 minutes
Released:
Feb 11, 2020
Format:
Podcast episode

Description

With DNA sequencing getting cheaper and cheaper more and more people are using services like 23andme and Ancestry.com to find out about their health and ancestry. What if there was a way to choose who you date based on your genetics? 
Harvard scientist, George Church, is working on this idea in his app, Digid8 which will pair people up based on the likelihood of them not having a child with a genetic disease. 
In this episode we do a refreshment on DNA sequencing, talk about the diseases this app is planning to screen for and get into the whole ethical situation and discuss if the term eugenics is appropriate for this idea of a genetics dating app. 
 
SOURCES //
60 minutes article 
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/harvard-geneticist-george-church-goal-to-protect-humans-from-viruses-genetic-diseases-and-aging-60-minutes-2019-12-08/?ftag=CNM-00-10aab7d&linkId=78498957


Facts about the dating app
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/614920/actual-facts-about-george-church-dna-dating-company-digid8/


FAQ questions that George answers 
http://arep.med.harvard.edu/gmc/gen_faq.html


Church lab ethics policies
http://arep.med.harvard.edu/gmc/ELSI_gc.html


Points of view that the app is promoting eugenics 
https://gizmodo.com/jeffrey-epstein-funded-geneticist-is-building-a-dating-1840315470
https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/43kkmq/a-genetic-dating-app-is-a-horrifying-thing-that-shouldnt-exist
Released:
Feb 11, 2020
Format:
Podcast episode

Titles in the series (48)

Our goal as scientists is to educate you about science in the news and the ethical implications of new science findings. We give you the tools you need to understand science and make your own informed decisions.