New book discusses genetic testing as disease predictor

Recent headlines concerning the actress Angelina Jolie brought renewed emphasis to the use of genetic testing. A new book by Franklin College assistant professor Kelly Happe further fleshes out the social and cultural context to the discussion of medical decision-making based on genetic testing:

Although Jolie cautioned readers that risks are different for each woman and only a fraction of breast cancers result from an inherited gene mutation, her article rekindled an ongoing debate among patients and medical experts about genetic testing and its role in modern health care.

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Happe urges readers to consider not only how genetics can affect health, but also how discoveries related to heredity and disease can reinforce negative ideas about social concepts like race and gender.

"I look at a research article written by a scientist as a kind of ‘social text,' because it shows us how social and cultural ideas work their way into the research process," said Happe, who holds a joint appointment in communication studies and the Institute for Women's Studies in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences. "I want to show how research is shaped by values and norms that we often think don't exist in the lab."

Congratulations Dr. Happe on such a timely publication. The book is available from the NYU Press.