Program

Monday, September 18, 2000

8:15am - 8:50am

Welcome, Dedication and
Overview of the day's activities

8:50am-9:25am

Genetics and Public Health in the 21st Century:
A Scientific Foundation for Using Genetic Information to Improve Health and Prevent Disease

With the completion of the Human Genome Project, numerous DNA-based tests may become available in medical and public health practice. An important challenge for the years to come is the appropriateness of using genetic information in disease prevention, the fundamental mission of public health. Using examples from both single gene disorders and multifactorial conditions, Dr. Khoury will describe recent CDC collaborative initiatives in: 1) conducting population research on human genome epidemiology, 2) developing a national genetic testing assessment program, 3) and conducting policy and communication research in genetics and public health.

Muin J. Khoury, Director, Office of Genetics and Disease Prevention, CDC

9:45am-10:00am

Genetics in Public Health Education:
An Interdepartmental Concentration in Public Health Genetics

The School of Public Health at the University of Michigan recognizes the challenge created by the rapid expansion of genetic knowledge and technologies. In response to this challenge, an innovative education program, the Public Health Genetics Interdepartmental Concentration, was initiated in 1996. The multidisciplinary approach to the curriculum will be described along with profiles of participating students and faculty. Internship experiences as well as future opportunities for graduates will be illustrated. Our approach provides a contrast to programs in other Schools of Public Health.

Patricia A. Peyser, Professor of Epidemiology and Director, Public Health Genetics Interdepartmental Concentration, School of Public Health, University of Michigan

10:00am-10:15am

Q and A

10:15am-10:35am

BREAK

10:3am5-10:55am

Genetics and the Community

How will the community react to the increasing application of genetics in public health programs? Dr. Ossorio will consider the issues likely to engage the public, special concerns of racial and ethnic minorities, and the need to involve the community in policy making.

Pilar Ossorio, Assistant Professor of Law & Medical Ethics, University of Wisconsin Law School

10:55am-11:15am

Is there a Pink Slip in My Genes?
Genetic Discrimination in the Workplace

Mr. Miller will address the growing concerns about genetic discrimination in the workplace and suggest possible methods for addressing such discrimination. He will discuss workers' fears and the reality of genetic discrimination in employment, as well as the application of existing federal statutes, particularly the Americans with Disabilities Act, state statutes, and the limited amount of case law in this area.

Paul Steven Miller, Commissioner, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

11:15am -12:00pm : Keynote Speaker

Public Health Genetics in a World Where the
Human Sequence is Known

The year 2000 has seen the vast majority of the sequence of the human genome deposited in public databases, in either finished or working draft form. At the same time, a catalog of common human variations is being rapidly generated. These research tools should make it possible to uncover major genetic susceptibility factors for most common illnesses in the next 5 - 7 years. This in turn will permit individualized prediction of future risks of illness, allowing programs of preventive medicine to be designed, with considerable benefit to public health. In the longer term, new therapies based on a detailed understanding of the genetics of illness will be much more successful than current therapies for many disorders. For the full medical benefits of the genomics revolution to be realized, however, solutions to the problems of genetic discrimination and breach of privacy must be found.

Francis Collins, Director, National Human Genome Research Institute

12:00pm-12:20pm

Q and A

12:20pm-1:45pm

GROUP LUNCH

1:45pm-3:15pm

Concurrent Sessions

1. Genetics, Race and Ethnicity
2. Genetics in Cancer Control Programs
3. Genetics and the Media
4. Public Policy on Antibiotic Resistance:
       The Role of Genetics
5. Gene Therapy on Trial?
6. Studying the Genetics of Complex Diseases
7. Genetic Counseling: Myths and Realities
8. Genetics and Infection in International Health
9. Role of Genetics in Public Health Prevention Programs
10. Genetics Law and Policy
11. Gene-Environment Interactions and Chronic Diseases
12. Eugenics, Genetics and Public Health

3:15pm-3:30pm

BREAK

3:30pm-4:00pm : Closing Session

The Human Genome Perspective:
"On The Inside Out"

DNA sequence variation not only defines disease susceptibility genes, but also challenges the truth of 'perceived' and 'believed' links between human identity and biology, inculcated in the American culture. The social implications of uncoupling individual and group identity from superficial appearances are enormous. Will emerging knowledge of human genome sequence variation effect a paradigm shift in self image and group identity?

Georgia Dunston, Department of Microbiology, Howard University College of Medicine

4:00 - 5:30pm : Reception

Celebrating the Contributions of John Maassab to Public Health: Using Genetics in Flu Vaccine Development