So, as we all think conferences in SL are such a good idea, I have very exciting news: the next guests in the SciFoo Lives On series will be 23andMe.
23andMe is a personalised genetics company: customers can provide a sample of their DNA via a saliva sample produced at home and sent back through the post. 23andMe then uses a genotyping process which looks at 600,000 SNPs to characterise the genome. They put put this online (in a secure location!) and you can use their various tools to look at questions like your predisposition to certain conditions, your global ancestry or the inheritance of characteristics down your family tree.
This is a very simplified description of what is a fascinating and potentially very powerful tool. Please do take a look at their website and all are welcome to come along and hear them speak.
SciFoo Lives On is a series of events held on Second Nature as an extension of the SciFoo conference. The speaker gives a short talk with presentation and then leads a discussion with the audience. We can’t claim any credit for this – this session was organised by Bertalan Mesko, who will also live blog the whole event, so check out his blog for more details.
Date: Tuesday 24th June
Time: 10am PST (Second Life time), 6pm London time
Location: SFLO area, Second Nature island
Great news, Jo. And thanks Bertalan for organising this. I’m fascinated by these emerging applications of personal genetics. Even if it is for profit, the translation of basic science into creative and useful tools that the general public can understand and make use of (if they can afford it) is a wonderful thing.
It was my pleasure to organize it. I hope the presentation will be successful and this will be a good example for all the other biotech companies to use Second Life as a tool for communication.
Thank you, Joanna, for the mention!