Author Archives: genotopia

About genotopia

Biomedicine and especially genetic medicine are among the most important and powerful cultural forces in our world today. This blog explores them from a historical and sometimes satirical point of view. My targets are hype, false promises, and hypocrisy, rather than any particular person or institution. Historical origins, cultural context, and humor are all ways of gaining a bit of perspective on the breathless world of biomedicine. Reflection and laughter can only help.

Genetic determinism round-up

Posted on May 13, 2012 by genotopia

It’s been a busy week for genetic oversell. Benjamin et al. examined the genetic architecture of economic and political preferences in PNAS. They conclude that “molecular-genetic-based heritability estimates…partially corroborate evidence of significant heritability from behavior genetic studies,” i.e., there is … Continue reading →

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The Bacon Gene

Posted on May 8, 2012 by genotopia

According to a recent study, pork appreciation could be genetic. Though the finding remains speculative, the correlation of such a high-level subjective character trait with a particular gene is already having a far-reaching impact on domestic policy. In the study, … Continue reading →

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Sign me up

Posted on May 4, 2012 by genotopia

Check out the delicious spoof over at The DNA Exchange. It’s a program for the “National Education Conference of the National Society of Genome Service Specialists.” Sponsored by the likes of “UneedaTest, Inc.,” “Twist-of-Fate, Inc.,” and “BraveNew Analytics,” the conference … Continue reading →

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Cover art!

Posted on March 28, 2012 by genotopia

Here’s the cover art for my book! This is also logged on the Science of Human Perfection page in the title bar.

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The biology of good and evil

Posted on March 20, 2012 by genotopia

In today’s New York Times, columnist David Brooks writes about the innate capacities for good and evil. Criticizing what he considers the prevailing worldview today, he writes that we believe that nature is fundamentally good, and hence, so we believe, … Continue reading →

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The Science of Human Perfection

Posted on March 14, 2012 by genotopia

I’ve started a new page–it will stay in the header bar above–for my forthcoming book, The Science of Human Perfection: How Genes Became the Heart of American Medicine, due this summer from Yale University Press. The book is a history … Continue reading →

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Who’s Laughlin Now? Exclusive Interview with Expired Eugenicist Extraordinaire

Posted on March 9, 2012 by genotopia

Not long ago, Genotopia received a comment from Dr. Harry H. Laughlin, a noted eugenicist. This surprised us, because Laughlin died in 1943. Unsure whether he is visiting us from the spirit world or simply undead, we nevertheless fearlessly seized … Continue reading →

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Childs Play

Posted on February 29, 2012 by genotopia

It’s February 29, the birthday of the great pediatrician and medical geneticist Barton Childs. Born in 1916, he would have had 24 candles on his cake today. Childs was adopted as a baby. An irony for a medical geneticist, he … Continue reading →

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The genetic medicine bubble

Posted on February 28, 2012 by genotopia

“The medical world is holding its breath, waiting for the revolution. It will be here any minute. Definitely by the end of the decade. Or perhaps it will take a little longer than that, but seriously, it’s right around the … Continue reading →

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Dorkins DNA may reveal slaveholder gene

Posted on February 20, 2012 by genotopia

Prominent atheist and genome advocate Dick Dorkins is genetically hardwired to treat human beings as chattel, according to some interpretations of preliminary results from the amateur analysis of his genome. The findings come from Project Dick, the widely publicized effort … Continue reading →

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