March 25, 2002 (39)Contact: Colleen NewvinePhone: (734) 647-4411E-mail: [email protected]Web: http://www.umich.edu/~newsinfo

U-M launches Center for Genomics and Public Health.

ANN ARBOR---Why do some people suffer heart attacks in their 30s while others reach their 90s despite a lifetime of poor eating habits and lack of exercise? Who should undergo genetic testing for breast cancer, or for any of the other adult-onset diseases for which genetic tests have been developed since the human genome was sequenced? How do we close the gap between the scientific findings of the Human Genome Project and the use genetic information for promoting health and preventing disease in the population as a whole?

The recently established Michigan Center for Genomics and Public Health at the University of Michigan, one of three funded nationally by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to increase the understanding and use of the human genome in public health practice, hopes to narrow this gap.

Genomics refers to the study of all elements of the human genome and their functions in relation to health and disease.

Center researchers will examine population-based data to describe genes associated with cardiovascular disease, and to understand the interaction between these genes and other risk factors in disease development. The center will help state and local public health organizations better understand the genetic basis of disease and appropriately integrate findings into public health programs. In addition, the center will enhance the U-M School of Public Health's existing graduate training program in public health genetics, and will adapt courses offered through this program into a Web-based, distance-learning format to make them accessible to practicing public health professionals.

While genetic advances hold great promise for health promotion and disease prevention, careful consideration must be given to the ethical, legal, and social issues that arise with the application of genetic advances.

"The mapping of the human genome and the explosion in the development and application of molecular genetic techniques provide new opportunities and challenges for public health. This center will help identify the opportunities and meet the challenges," says Toby Citrin, center director. "Society's misuse of genetic information in the past has led to concerns about possible stigmatization and discrimination resulting from the knowledge of a person's genetic profile. This center will work toward preventing these harms through education, identification of ethical and social issues, and development of policy recommendations."

U-M's prior experience confronting these ethical issues, especially its engagement of the community in dialogue about the use of genetic technologies, will help to minimize the risks and maximize the benefits of translating genetic knowledge into effective public health approaches for disease prevention, Citrin says.

For example, the Community Dialogue Project, now approaching completion, has resulted in a series of policy recommendations recently shared with the Michigan legislature, members of Congress and President Bush's genetics adviser. Participants in the new Genomics and Public Health Center believe it is essential that community-driven policy initiatives keep pace with the rapidly expanding use of genetics technology.

U-M School of Public Health is collaborating with the U-M Medical School and the Michigan Department of Community Health on the center, which will receive about $1 million over three years from the CDC.

For more information about the CDC Office of Genomics & Disease Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/genomics/

To learn about the U-M School of Public Health, which seeks to prevent disease and promote the health of populations in the United States and worldwide: http://www.sph.umich.edu

###