The Human Recipe

Human genetics is not the playground of science alone. Genetics concerns all of us, for we all have DNA, genes, genomes, and chromosomes. Our genes determine partly our appearance and our behaviour, our talents and our health risks. The authors of ‘The Human Recipe’ use humour to explain what we understand about human genetics. With anecdotes and topical examples, they demonstrate how genetics affects our everyday lives. What if a DNA analysis were to reveal that your biological father must be someone other than the person you’ve been calling “Dad” for years? Does genetics explain why Africans excel in athletics, Asians in gymnastics, and Europeans mainly in sports testing physical strengths? What is the difference between a genetic disease and a contagious illness? The newest developments in human genetics also raise ethical questions and issues which are currently being debated within the genetics community, and the authors do not avoid looking at these either. Should we use genetics to ensure the conception of healthy children or even “designer babies”? Should we identify genetic risks before pregnancy? Should we edit genes in embryos? Can we identify our risk for cancers and can we prevent them? What about privacy in DNA research and forensic databases? Can DNA be stolen, and if so, would this be considered a serious crime? ‘The Human Recipe’ provides a clever insight into all you might want to know about human genetics in our current society.

Preface Introduction 1 The Genome: The Cookbook of Life 2 Reading Genomes 3 A Gene, a Genome, and Then What? 4 Genetic Disorders 5 Angelina Jolie’s Choice 6 Give Me Back My DNA! 7 We Are All Carriers 8 New Test Tracks for Fetus DNA 9 Designer Babies 10 As Long as it Stays in the Family 11 Everyone’s Genome Investigated 12 Finding out More Than You Would Want to Know 13 HELP! The Government Has My DNA! 14 Genome Hackers 15 A Neanderthal in All of Us? 16 Mudbloods 17 My Olympic DNA 18 The Godfather 19 Personalizing Medicine to Fit Your Genetic Profile 20 Gene Therapy, a Medicine? 21 Consumer Genomics 22 Genes and Patents 23 X and Y About the Authors Recommended Literature

Pascal Borry

Pascal Borry is associate professor of bioethics at KU Leuven. Affiliated to the Centre for Biomedical Ethics and Law his research mainly deals with ethical, legal and social implications of genetics and genomics.

Gert Matthijs

Gert Matthijs is professor of molecular genetics of the Department of Human Genetics at the KU Leuven. He heads the Laboratory of Molecular Diagnosis at the Centre for Human Genetics and conducts research on rare genetic disorders.