Medical Students’ DNA – and Psychology – on Display in Classroom
By Jessica Cussins
| 10. 31. 2012
In a recent CBS News video segment, Eric E. Schadt, chair of the Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, enthusiastically discussed the benefits of whole-genome sequencing. When asked about the technology’s potential down sides, he answered:
The social implications, what sorts of policy we should be thinking about, those are the discussions we should be having right now, about how to leverage this information in ways that are benefitting humankind, not biasing the type of population through unnatural selection of traits.
Given this view, one would imagine that Schadt’s department is deeply engaged with these discussions. In at least one way, it is. He explained that the school is addressing the social and ethical complexities of whole-genome sequencing by offering a first-of-its-kind course in which students analyze entire genomes (either their own or an anonymous sample) and then take part in a research study on the effects of getting this information.
Put another way, the school is hoping to determine the ethics of a new technology they’ve adopted by performing it on their...
Related Articles
By Roxanne Khamsi, The Atlantic | 07.07.2026
When Ludivine Verboogen and Romain Alderweireldt’s third child was born in Belgium in late 2015, they marveled at his long fingers. Perhaps one day he will be a famous pianist, they thought. But soon Ludivine grew worried that her son...
By Carl Zimmer and Marco Hernandez , The New York Times | 07.01.2026
Scientists have long dreamed of discovering the alchemy by which chemicals can be turned into life. On Wednesday, a team at the University of Minnesota announced that it had taken a major step toward that vision.
Blending together dozens of...
By Michael Le Page , New Scientist | 06.25.2026
We now know the master gene that controls embryonic development in people. Called NANOG, its role has been identified by making precise changes to the DNA of fertilised eggs using a technique called CRISPR base editing.
The discovery might lead...
By Maggie Astor, The New York Times | 06.23.2026
Every year, patients undergo millions of in vitro fertilization procedures worldwide. Only a minority result in a live birth.
In an effort to improve the odds, scientists have developed an array of “add-ons” that could in theory identify the most...
