There is new insight and hope for cancer patients due to therapies based on an individual’s personal genes.
Science enthusiasts, from experts to those with limited knowledge, gathered at the Franklin Institute Monday night for “Cancer and our Genome.” The event consisted of three lectures and a Q&A panel that aimed to educate the general public about the connection between cancer and genetics.
The lectures all included information about the human genome, an individual’s complete set of genetic material. Lecturers explained that many cancers are caused by gene mutations and understanding these mutations can lead researchers to find new therapy opportunities.
The Penn Genome Frontiers Institute co-sponsored the event with the Franklin Institute. It was put on as part of the Philadelphia Science Festival, Philadelphia’s 10-day showcase of local science, engineering and technology.
One of the event’s main themes dealt with the vastness of the human genome. New sequencing techniques can help scientists better organize the enormous amount of information in each individual’s genome.
“The human body really is a universe in its own,” Penn biology professor and Co-Director of the PGFI Junhyong Kim said.
Spectators found the lectures to be accessible and easy to understand, despite the event’s technical nature.
“It was a good collection of clinical information and basic science information,” said Marie Webster, a post-doctoral fellow at the Wistar Institute.
The event also had a local feel, as all lecturers and panelists conduct their research in Philadelphia.
Katie Marchbank, another Wistar post-doctoral fellow, said, “It’s good for the general public to know the science that’s being done in our city, and it just encourages them to get involved.”
Associate Director of Programs at PGFI Kristin Field felt the event was a rare opportunity to encourage dialogue between leading medical researchers and the general public.
“[The event] provides a forum that experts often don’t have: to be able to speak directly to the public and share some of their beliefs and discoveries,” Field said.
