The Genome Generation by Elizabeth Finkel

The year 2001 marked more than just the beginning of Stanley Kubrick’s space odyssey, it marked the beginning of the genome era. That was the year scientists first read the 3 billion letters of DNA that make up the human genome. This was followed by a veritable Noah’s Ark of genomes—sponges and worms, dogs and cows, rice and wheat, chimps and elephants—180 creatures aboard so far.

So what have we learnt from all this? How has it changed the way we practise medicine, grow crops and breed livestock? What have we learnt about evolution?

These are the questions science writer and molecular biologist Elizabeth Finkel examines, as well as current debates regarding the potential of genome research, particularly in the field of developing a vaccine for HIV/AIDS, and the ancestral genetic makeup that may be of crucial importance. She also offers readers advice on how to apply the science of genomes to their everyday lives.

Elizabeth Finkel holds a PhD in biochemistry and spent ten years as a professional research scientist before becoming an award-winning journalist. She is a contributing editor to Cosmos magazine and also writes for the US magazine Science. Her numerous awards include a Queensland Premier’s Literary award for her book, Stem Cells: Controversy at the Frontiers of Science. In 2011 she was named the National Press Club’s Higher Education Journalist of the Year.

‘Elizabeth Finkel tells the evolving story of DNA in an intriguing and accessible way.’
—Nobel Prize winner Peter Doherty

Presented by ANU & The Canberra Times