Prof Anna Middleton
Your DNA, Your Say – public opinion on data sharing
Talk synopsis: Big Data and DNA now go hand in hand. This is pivotal for exploring the link between genes and disease. The bigger the datasets the better. Most DNA data is ‘de-identified’, i.e. names and addresses have been removed. However, it will soon be possible to identify a person from their DNA alone. Would this stop you donating your DNA data for research? What harms can come from this? We explore what public across the world have said and how their views are shaping policy.
Bio: Anna has had two parallel careers – the first as a practicing genetic counsellor in the NHS working with families with genetic conditions, the second as a lead social scientist exploring the impact of genetic technology on people. She currently works at Connecting Science at the Wellcome Genome Campus in Cambridge, as Head of Society and Ethics Research. She is continually asking: ‘how is genomics impacting on people?’ and aims to find evidence-based ways to make genomics resonate for patients and their families. She is current Chair of the Association of Genetic Nurses and Counsellors.
Click to visit the Wellcome Genome Campus website.
