Sixth International Workshop on the History of Human Genetics
SECC, Room Gala (Armadillo) - Glasgow, UK (Scotland), June 5-6, 2015
Principal Themes: ‘Human Gene Mapping’ and ‘Oral History of Human Genetics’
Registration
Pre-registration is now closed.
Onsite registrations will be possible from 08:00 hrs on Friday, June 5, 2015 onwards.
Registration fee: EUR 100.-
Dinner: EUR 35.-
Registration fee includes refreshments and lunch buffet.
The History of Human Gene Mapping
Gene mapping in Drosophila began over a century ago, but human gene mapping is more recent, beginning with the linkage between haemophilia and colour-blindness on the X chromosome by Julia Bell (1879-1979) and John B. S. Haldane (1892-1964) in 1937 and the first autosomal linkage by Jan Mohr (1921-2009) in Copenhagen in 1951.
In 1973 the first Workshop on Human Gene Mapping took place at Yale University, organised by Francis Hugh Ruddle (1929-2013). He was inspired during his post-doctoral training in 1960 and 1961 by the work of Guido Pontecorvo (1907-1999) at Glasgow, who had demonstrated that genes could be mapped in somatic cells.
As a result of this and subsequent workshop around 2000 genes were assigned to specific chromosomal locations before the Human Genome Project was launched in 1989. The data were stored in a publicly available database for sharing of human genome information.
How did it all begin? And what was the evolution after 1973 up to the start of the Human Genome Project? The focus of the workshop will be on the pioneering work involved in human gene mapping itself, but also on the biography of the involved scientists. Those associated with this work from different countries are invited to share their experiences and memories with the participants. Presentations on the historical, philosophical, social analysis of aspects of the scientific revolution of gene mapping are also welcome.
The Oral History of Human Genetics in Europe
Oral histories provide an invaluable source of information for those studying the history of human genetics. During this workshop there will be a discussion on carrying out interviews with contemporary witnesses and other aspects of the oral history of human genetics. Conducting an interview requires careful planning both before and after the interview itself. The process of the transcription of interviews as well as ethical and legal aspects of oral histories will also be topics for discussion.
Contact
Dr. Heike Petermann M.A.
Institute for Ethics, History and Theory of Medicine
Von-Esmarch-Str. 62, 48149 Muenster
Mail: heike.petermann(at)uni-muenster.de
Programme
Human Gene Mapping - Oral History of Human Genetics
6th International Workshop / Satellite Symposium ESHG 2015
Date: June 4-6, 2015
Place: Glasgow (UK)
Friday, June 5, 2015 | ||
09.00 – 09.15 | Opening | |
09.15 —11.00 | Session 1 | Human Genetics in Glasgow (Chair: Darren Monckton) 1. Ferguson-Smith M: Glasgow contributions to the human gene mapping project, 1959-1987 2. Blair P: Guido Pontecorvo 3. O’Dell K: James Renwick 4. Monckton D: Glasgow 2015 and beyond |
11.00 – 11.30 | Coffee Break | Poster Viewing |
11.30 – 13.00 | Session 2 | Human Gene Mapping 5. Rushton A: The first human genetic map 1936 6. McGovern M: ‘The London / Baltimore link has been severed’: human linkage mapping and the early computerization of genetics 7. Hogan A: The thrill of mapping: bridging the gap in post-war human genetics |
13.00 – 14.00 | Lunch | Poster Viewing |
14.00 – 15.30 | Session 3 | History of Human Genetics (1) 8. Capocci M: Unravelling the complexity of HLA: genesis and success of the international histocompatibility workshops 9. Friedman J: The enduring puzzle of Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy 10. Pyeritz R: A brief history of uncertainty in genomic medicine |
15.30 – 15.45 | Coffee Break | Poster Viewing |
15.45 – 17.15 | Session 4 | History of Human Genetics (2) 11. Birmingham K: Marcus Pembrey recalls the catalyst for the establishment of the International Federation of Human Genetic Societies 12. Tupasela AM: Critical inquiry into rare disease research in Finland: Finnish disease heritage ina broader historical context 13. Mahr D: Narrating ‘geneticization’: living your genome in shifting scientific paradigms |
17.15 — 17.30 | Coffee Break | Poster Viewing |
17.30 — 18.30 | Session 5 | History of Human Genetics (3) 14. Houwink E: The History of Human Gene Mapping: remembering the times of PCR and discovery of the MECP2 gene mutation behind Rett syndrome at UCLA and translation of genetic competences to primary and secondary care PCR/MECP2 15. Simunek M: Project documenting the development of medical genetics in Czechoslovakia after 1945 |
19.30 | Dinner | Location to be announced |
Saturday, June 6, 2015 | ||
09.00 – 09.45 | Lecture | 16. Tansey T: You’re all history now: recording the voices of modern genetics |
09.45 – 10.45 | Session 6 | Oral History (1) 17. Harper P: Interviews with human and medical geneticists 18. Petermann H: Reflections on ethical and theoretical aspects of oral history of human genetics in Germany |
10.45 - 11.00 | Coffee Break | Poster Viewing |
11.00 – 12.30 | Session 7 | Oral History (2) 19. Donohue C: The oral history initiative at the national human genome research institute (NHGRI) 20. Doetz S: The use of oral history to explore the establishment of genetic counselling in the GDR during the 1970s and 1980s 21. Garcia-Sancho M: A critical triangulation: the combination of archival sources and oral histories in the investigation of contemporary genetics |
12.45 – 13.30 | Discussion | Further Projects Close of Workshop |
Posters:
1 | Barahona A | Medical genetics in Mexico: the Origins of Cytogenetics and the Health Care System | |
2 | Baranov V | The History of Prenatal Diagnostics service in the Russia | |
3 | Morfakis C | Human Gene Mapping: The mass media iconography of Human Genome Project in the most popular Greek newspapers | |
4 | Petermann H | Changing the Point of View: the History of Human Genetics as an applied science in the Federal Republic of Germany from 1945 to 1975 | |
5 | Sloyan V | Collecting Genomics at the Wellcome Library | |
6 | Tansey T, EM Jones | Witnesses to medical genetics | |
7 | Tansey T, EM Jones | Mapping the gene mapping workshops | |
8 | Van El C | Neonatal screening: a historical-comparative perspective | |
9 | Friedman J, H Petermann | Publication of the History Workshops |