Georgia M. Dunston is a scientist who deals mostly with investigating the human genome. She explained that each person has a unique genome encoded in each of their cells. After a cell reaches maturation, its genome disintegrates, but these genomes are the basis of how our bodies are formed and operated. Dr. Dunston explained that investigating these genomes may help us discover why there are health discrepancies, that is, why some individuals or races tend to contract certain diseases more frequently that others. Understanding these health discrepancies might help us find a way to get rid of them, using aspects of the genome of some individuals to figure out how to make those more susceptible immune. Dr. Dunston explained that we are in the midst of a knowledge revolution, during which we are discovering new things about the human genome that could help us better understand humanity.
There are many definitions of the human genome, but one in particular is “a record book of the history and legacy of humanity”, suggesting that we can better understand the past by understanding the human genome. Dr. Dunston asked “How do you use knowledge intelligently to solve the problems of your time?”, and stated, “Creativity is the highest expression of that which makes you uniquely you.” She explained that we must use what we have been given in our DNA to change the world for the better, reminding us that less than two percent of the genome creates the physical body, while the rest is concerned with how we regulate and control that body. This means that most of our genome focuses on not our bodies, but what we can learn to do with them.
Dr. Dunston’s lecture was interesting, but I was very disappointed to find that she had spent the entire class session on her introduction. I was also disappointed to find that she never posted her PowerPoint online, so it seems that we will never know what information was beyond her introduction.
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