Genetics and Society

Within this area of work, the Wales Gene Park links academics, genetic counsellors and clinicians interested in the ethical, legal and social aspects of genetics and contributes to research, debates, health service and policy development, education and public engagement activities, locally and nationally.

Key Areas of Work

People

Associated Projects

Publications

Key Areas of Work

Research focussing on ethical, legal and social aspects of genetics.

The Wales Gene Park has developed close collaborations with CESAGen (the ESRC Centre for Economic & Social Aspects of Genomics). Renewed funding for the WGP supports the development of joint research programmes on social aspects of new genetic technologies, in the areas of psychiatric genetics and cardiac genetics.

Research capacity building and dissemination of research

Organisation of Genetics & Society Days, workshops and other networking opportunities to bring together academics and clinicians interested in ethical, legal and social research in genetics. The events attract participants locally and from further afield and help to maintain links with research groups with common interests, such as the Centre for Family Research, University of Cambridge; BIOS, LSE; ETHOX, University of Oxford.

Contributing to debates, health service and policy development, education and public engagement activities

Professor Clarke has worked over some years to develop discussion and debate on issues around the genetic testing of children and genetic counselling more generally. He has also played a part in policy development through the Human Genetics Commission.

The Genetics & Society Research Officer works closely with colleagues to develop projects and activities concerning the ethical, social and legal aspects of genetics for young people, teachers and other public audiences.

Professor Clarke is co-director of the MSc in Genetic Counselling at Cardiff University . The course is noted for the contributions made to the module on ethical and social aspects of genetics by academics working with the Wales Gene Park, in particular social science researchers from CESAGen and communications researchers from the Health Communication Research Centre, Cardiff University.

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People

	Professor Angus Clarke Professor in Medical Genetics Institute for Medical Genetics, Cardiff University

Associated Projects

Genetics, Religion & Identity: A Study of Bangladeshi Muslims in Britain

The Transgenerational Communication of Genetic Information

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Publications

Books

Clarke, AJ and Ticehurst , FL (Eds.) (2006) Living with the Genome: Ethical & Social Aspects of Human Genetics , Basingstoke and New York : Palgrave Macmillan.

Featherstone K, Atkinson P A, Bharadwaj A and Clarke A J (2006) Risky Relations: Family and Kinship in the Era of New Genetics. Berg: UK.

Original Articles

Clarke A, Richards MPM, Kerzin-Storrar L, Halliday J, Young MA, Simpson SA, Featherstone K, Forrest K, Lucassen A, Morrison PJ, Quarrell OWJ, Stewart H. (2005) Genetic professionals' reports of non-disclosure of genetic risk information within families. European Journal of Human Genetics 13:556-62

Featherstone K, Latimer JE, Atkinson PA, Pilz DT, Clarke AJ. (2006) Dysmorphology and the spectacle of the clinic. Sociology of Health & Illness 27: 551-574

Latimer J, Featherstone K, Atkinson PA, Clarke A, Pilz DT, Shaw A. (2006) Rebirthing the clinic: the interaction of clinical judgement and molecular technology in the production of medical knowledge. Science, Technology and Human Values 31: 599-630

Parsons EP, Moore C, Israel J, Hood K, Clarke AJ, Bradley DM. (2005) Emphasizing parental choice on newborn screening. British Journal of Midwifery 13: 165-168

Räisänen U, Bekkers M-J, Boddington P, Sarangi S, Clarke A. (2006) The causation of disease: the practical and ethical consequences of competing explanations. Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy 9: 293-306

Sarangi S, Bennert K, Howell L, Clarke A, Harper P, Gray J. (2005) (Mis)alignments in counselling for Huntington's disease predictive testing: clients' responses to reflective frames. Journal of Genetic Counseling 14: 29-42.

Others

Bharadwaj A, Atkinson P, Clarke A. (2007) Medical classification and the experience of genetic haemochromatosis. In Atkinson A, Glasner P, Greenslade H (Eds.) New Genetics, New Identities (pp 120-138). Abindon, England: Routledge.

Clarke A. (2007) Ethical and social issues in clinical genetics. In Rimoin DL, Connor JM, Pyeritz RE, Korf BR (Eds.) Volume 1, Emery & Rimoin's Principles and Practice of Medical Genetics (5th Edition, pp 799-824). London, New york and Edinburgh: CHurchill Livingstone.

Bharadwaj A, Prior L, Atkinson P, Clarke A, Worwood M. (2006). The genetic iceberg: risk and uncertainty. In Webster A, (ed) New Technologies in Health Care: challenge, change and innovation (pp 11-24) . Basingstoke and New York : Palgrave Macmillan.

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