Blogs by Frank P Ryan
First public lecture
6/16/2015 12:08:58 AM
Wonderful response to first open talk on Mysterious World
16th June 2015
Yesterday evening I gave my first talk, lasting about an hour, to the Secretaries Group of the Women's Institute in central Sheffield. I began, as I do in the book, The Mysterious World of the Human Genome, by assuming they knew nothing at all about DNA, genes, genomes, or the diseases caused by genetic abnormalities in people. I introduced them to the railway analogy I have developed to help explain DNA and they were astonished, I think, to realise that they could easily grasp the basics. I showed them how the DNA code actually works, then moved on to show how the same genome in every human cell can, through regulation, code for all the different human tissues. From there we moved on to how the sex chromosomes determine whether a baby is a boy or girl. We also examined how the genome controls the development of the baby in the womb. Then I talked about when things go wrong. What is BRCA1? Why does a mutation in this gene lead to a greatly increased risk of breast cancer? We talked about the courage of Angelina Jolie in allowing her case to provide enlightenment to other women. We took a trip in our magical ultramicroscopic steam train along the track of human chromosome 17, to arrive at the gene BRCA1 and look directly at why a mutation that damaged it would prove to be so dangerous.
We moved on to talk about the whole genome, and in particular the fact that the protein-coding section is only a small but vital part of it. We looked at the viral parts of it, and then the growing understanding of the master controllers - the epigenetic system that determines which genes will be switched on in any cell, for how long, and in what kind of a profile. They were intrigued by the so-called "non-coding" RNAs that are vitally important end products in themselves.
We discussed how the mechanisms that create hereditary change in evolution work (Mutation, Epigenetics, genetic Symbiosis, and Hybridisation - acronym MESH) and how these are the same mechanisms that give rise to the genetic basis of disease.
We moved on then to apply this understanding to the overall picture. For example, how retroviral genes within our chromosomes are a vital part of our make-up. And how the growing understanding of epigenetics, in particular inhibitory RNA, might give us the tools to stop bad genes dead in their tracks - literally in their chromosome railway tracks.
We finished by considering the growing disciplines of personal genomics and its application to personalised medicine.
All in an hour, but helped by lots of colourful Powerpoint slides.
The talk was very well received. I don't think anybody in my audience had any kind of science degree. I asked them if they understood it - not necessarily every slide but the gist of it. Did they now understand the essential nature of their genome.
They assured me that they did. Not only did they understand, they were fascinated. There was lengthy discussion and I left the lecture room with the ladies still animatedly discussing it over cups of tea.
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