Uploaded May 2024 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
Lecture Title: Do People Really Know What DNA Is?
April 26, 2024 - Biologists know what DNA is, although they’ll be the first to tell you there’s a lot about DNA they don’t know. But what does DNA mean to someone who is not a biologist? Even a scientifically literate person might have trouble explaining what DNA does, how it works, or what the discovery of its structure was so important to modern biology. How much does someone need to know about DNA to make informed decisions about genetic engineering, genetic privacy, or when life begins? Joe Palca, Ph.D., former science correspondent for National Public Radio (NPR) examines these questions in this talk, but as you will see these questions are not always so easy to answer. That’s what makes this work so interesting!
About the Louise M. Slaughter Lecture: Each year the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) honors the life and legacy of genomics champion Representative Louise M. Slaughter (D-N.Y.) - who passed away in March 2018 - by naming an annual National DNA Day lecture at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in her honor. These lectures are intended to spark curiosity in NIH staff about how to engage with the public on DNA and its applications in society.
Relevant Links:
Slaughter Lecture: genome.gov/slaughter-lecture
DNA Day: genome.gov/DNA-day
Lecture Title: Do People Really Know What DNA Is?
April 26, 2024 - Biologists know what DNA is, although they’ll be the first to tell you there’s a lot about DNA they don’t know. But what does DNA mean to someone who is not a biologist? Even a scientifically literate person might have trouble explaining what DNA does, how it works, or what the discovery of its structure was so important to modern biology. How much does someone need to know about DNA to make informed decisions about genetic engineering, genetic privacy, or when life begins? Joe Palca, Ph.D., former science correspondent for National Public Radio (NPR) examines these questions in this talk, but as you will see these questions are not always so easy to answer. That’s what makes this work so interesting!
About the Louise M. Slaughter Lecture: Each year the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) honors the life and legacy of genomics champion Representative Louise M. Slaughter (D-N.Y.) - who passed away in March 2018 - by naming an annual National DNA Day lecture at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in her honor. These lectures are intended to spark curiosity in NIH staff about how to engage with the public on DNA and its applications in society.
Relevant Links:
Slaughter Lecture: genome.gov/slaughter-lecture
DNA Day: genome.gov/DNA-day
