- Email: [email protected]
Genetics knowledge parks
Media Watch
Web round-up: Genetics knowledge parks In 2002, the UK government set up a network of genetics knowledge parks (GKPs) or biotechnology villages—regional centres of excellence in genetics designed to bring together clinicians, scientists, academics, and pharmaceutical researchers. GKPs are part of a strategy to make the UK a leader in genetic technology, but they have also taken on an educational role. Genetics knowledge parks Newcastle-upon-Tyne Life Knowledge Park: www.centreforlife.co.uk Cambridge Genetics Knowledge Park: www.cgkp.org.uk London IDEAS Genetics Knowledge Park: www.londonideas.org Nowgen: www.nowgen.org.uk Wales Gene Park: www.walesgenepark.co.uk
Courtesy of Cambridge Genetics Knowledge Park, UK
Oxford Genetics Knowledge Park: www.oxfordgkp.org
366
Programmes to raise public awareness of developments in human genetics are already well advanced in some genetics knowledge parks (GKPs). For instance, Newcastle-uponTyne’s Centre for Life provides outreach programmes, games, and interactive exhibitions for children and adults. Its attractive website gives the impression of a biotechnology village buzzing with life—indeed, one of the centre’s aims is to boost the growth of the biotechnology, life-science, and health-care sectors of the region’s economy. The Life Science Centre, featured on the website, has an exhibition presenting the origins of life, DNA, and the human body “in a fun, educational, and entertaining way”. This GKP is the home of Newcastle’s fertility centre (a National Health Service facility associated with the Royal Victoria Infirmary and Newcastle Medical School) and the Institute of Genetics, where research focuses on hereditary cancer, renal disease, heart malformations, and neuromuscular and skeletal diseases. Education is also one of the North West GKP’s strengths, with workshops for teachers and students (where they can, for instance, try DNA fingerprinting) and an outreach programme. Its website (nowgen.org.uk), although modest and lacking in visual appeal, nonetheless has links to many sites that provide reliable information about developments in genetics. The useful news section advertises events, which include a genetics photography competition and a public meeting on gene therapy. Nowgen plans to develop an exhibition space for geneticsrelated events and a public-information service focused on human genetics. Cambridge GKP concentrates on educational activities for health professionals and the business community, but its website also serves the general public well, with news about clinical genetics research facilities, interviews with Cambridge genetics researchers, and a programme of courses. The site also includes a summary of the ethical, legal, and social issues in stem-cell research and a critique of the UK Human Tissue Bill. An announcement from the Public Health Genetics Unit features a project to trace human history and migration through the collection of 100 000 DNA samples from 1000 indigenous populations. Liberal use of colourful photographs and comical drawings makes for an attractive site at London IDEAS GKP. Activities at London IDEAS (Innovation, Dissemination, Evaluation and Application Strategy) GKP are very much people-oriented, and its main aim is to provide genetic
information to London’s multiethnic population, advice about lifestyle, and debate on the public understanding of genetics. It includes information on genes in relation to breast cancer, heart disease, and smoking cessation. Also on offer are genetics resources for schools and colleges, and interactive games to teach children about genes, chromosomes, and inheritance. Wales GPK has a very well designed and informative website. Its education initiative for schools is said to reach 65 000 children across Wales, and feedback is reported to be very positive. Programmes for teachers range from social and ethical issues in gene technology to research-based topics. Recent educational activities for the general public include a 3-day citizens’ jury on designer babies and an exhibition of the development of genetic diversity in Cardiff, Wales, UK, during its growth from a small fishing village to the world’s most important coal-exporting port. Oxford GKP’s website is as yet sketchy, and its appearance is uninviting. However, the site does give brief descriptions of its four research areas: sudden cardiac death, heart disease, chromosome abnormalities in cancer and learning disability, and genetics and society. Oxford’s park organises public lectures delivered by well known genetics communicators, but these events are not accessible on the website. When it comes to demystifying genetics and genetic technology, the very name “genetics knowledge park” sounds like a fun place to explore. Bringing scientists and the public together to foster trust and understanding is an intelligent and admirable idea, and although the six GKPs vary greatly in their visual appeal and the information they yield, all can provide people with much useful information about inherited diseases, genetic tests, and ethical issues surrounding, say, stem-cell research. Most GKP websites have a search facility and good links to external sites (Oxford, an exception here, promises such links soon). By contrast, a web search for, say, “gene therapy” or “genetics research” will not direct the searcher to any GKP. Cambridge GKP is the only site to provide a link from “genetics information” and “Human Tissue Bill”. Overall, however, GKPs and their websites will be able to contribute substantially towards helping people to understand the role of genes in health and disease.
Dorothy Bonn [email protected]
http://oncology.thelancet.com Vol 6 June 2005
Web round-up: Genetics knowledge parks In 2002, the UK government set up a network of genetics knowledge parks (GKPs) or biotechnology villages—regional centres of excellence in genetics designed to bring together clinicians, scientists, academics, and pharmaceutical researchers. GKPs are part of a strategy to make the UK a leader in genetic technology, but they have also taken on an educational role. Genetics knowledge parks Newcastle-upon-Tyne Life Knowledge Park: www.centreforlife.co.uk Cambridge Genetics Knowledge Park: www.cgkp.org.uk London IDEAS Genetics Knowledge Park: www.londonideas.org Nowgen: www.nowgen.org.uk Wales Gene Park: www.walesgenepark.co.uk
Courtesy of Cambridge Genetics Knowledge Park, UK
Oxford Genetics Knowledge Park: www.oxfordgkp.org
366
Programmes to raise public awareness of developments in human genetics are already well advanced in some genetics knowledge parks (GKPs). For instance, Newcastle-uponTyne’s Centre for Life provides outreach programmes, games, and interactive exhibitions for children and adults. Its attractive website gives the impression of a biotechnology village buzzing with life—indeed, one of the centre’s aims is to boost the growth of the biotechnology, life-science, and health-care sectors of the region’s economy. The Life Science Centre, featured on the website, has an exhibition presenting the origins of life, DNA, and the human body “in a fun, educational, and entertaining way”. This GKP is the home of Newcastle’s fertility centre (a National Health Service facility associated with the Royal Victoria Infirmary and Newcastle Medical School) and the Institute of Genetics, where research focuses on hereditary cancer, renal disease, heart malformations, and neuromuscular and skeletal diseases. Education is also one of the North West GKP’s strengths, with workshops for teachers and students (where they can, for instance, try DNA fingerprinting) and an outreach programme. Its website (nowgen.org.uk), although modest and lacking in visual appeal, nonetheless has links to many sites that provide reliable information about developments in genetics. The useful news section advertises events, which include a genetics photography competition and a public meeting on gene therapy. Nowgen plans to develop an exhibition space for geneticsrelated events and a public-information service focused on human genetics. Cambridge GKP concentrates on educational activities for health professionals and the business community, but its website also serves the general public well, with news about clinical genetics research facilities, interviews with Cambridge genetics researchers, and a programme of courses. The site also includes a summary of the ethical, legal, and social issues in stem-cell research and a critique of the UK Human Tissue Bill. An announcement from the Public Health Genetics Unit features a project to trace human history and migration through the collection of 100 000 DNA samples from 1000 indigenous populations. Liberal use of colourful photographs and comical drawings makes for an attractive site at London IDEAS GKP. Activities at London IDEAS (Innovation, Dissemination, Evaluation and Application Strategy) GKP are very much people-oriented, and its main aim is to provide genetic
information to London’s multiethnic population, advice about lifestyle, and debate on the public understanding of genetics. It includes information on genes in relation to breast cancer, heart disease, and smoking cessation. Also on offer are genetics resources for schools and colleges, and interactive games to teach children about genes, chromosomes, and inheritance. Wales GPK has a very well designed and informative website. Its education initiative for schools is said to reach 65 000 children across Wales, and feedback is reported to be very positive. Programmes for teachers range from social and ethical issues in gene technology to research-based topics. Recent educational activities for the general public include a 3-day citizens’ jury on designer babies and an exhibition of the development of genetic diversity in Cardiff, Wales, UK, during its growth from a small fishing village to the world’s most important coal-exporting port. Oxford GKP’s website is as yet sketchy, and its appearance is uninviting. However, the site does give brief descriptions of its four research areas: sudden cardiac death, heart disease, chromosome abnormalities in cancer and learning disability, and genetics and society. Oxford’s park organises public lectures delivered by well known genetics communicators, but these events are not accessible on the website. When it comes to demystifying genetics and genetic technology, the very name “genetics knowledge park” sounds like a fun place to explore. Bringing scientists and the public together to foster trust and understanding is an intelligent and admirable idea, and although the six GKPs vary greatly in their visual appeal and the information they yield, all can provide people with much useful information about inherited diseases, genetic tests, and ethical issues surrounding, say, stem-cell research. Most GKP websites have a search facility and good links to external sites (Oxford, an exception here, promises such links soon). By contrast, a web search for, say, “gene therapy” or “genetics research” will not direct the searcher to any GKP. Cambridge GKP is the only site to provide a link from “genetics information” and “Human Tissue Bill”. Overall, however, GKPs and their websites will be able to contribute substantially towards helping people to understand the role of genes in health and disease.
Dorothy Bonn [email protected]
http://oncology.thelancet.com Vol 6 June 2005