Explore

Mind of the Universe - Genetic Privacy: should we be concerned?

Approx. 14 hours to complete

Save Course

Go to Course

Course Summary

In this course, you will explore the ethical and legal issues surrounding genetic privacy and learn how to protect your own genetic data. You will also learn about the science behind genetics and how it has influenced our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

Key Learning Points

Learn about the ethical and legal issues surrounding genetic privacy
Understand the science behind genetics and how it impacts our lives
Discover how to protect your own genetic data

Learning Outcomes

Understand the ethical and legal issues surrounding genetic privacy
Learn the science behind genetics and how it impacts our lives
Be able to protect your own genetic data

Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course

Basic knowledge of genetics
Familiarity with legal and ethical issues

Course Difficulty Level

Intermediate

Course Format

Online
Self-paced

Similar Courses

Genetics and Society
Personalized Medicine and Pharmacogenetics
Ethics and Law in Data and Analytics

Related Education Paths

Notable People in This Field

Francis Collins
Jennifer Doudna
George Church

Related Books

Description

Should all our genetic information be made public in order to eradicate genetic diseases from this world?

Who owns your genetic data once it becomes publicly accessible? What is your responsibility to family members when you know more about genetic diseases than they do? Who decides what kind of genetic information is relevant to a person? And what does genetic privacy mean to you? In this challenge with Robert Zwijnenberg (Professor in Art and Science Interactions) you will critically reflect upon the issue of genetic privacy. You will dive into the ethical questions that come up with the disclosure of genetic data in biobanks and through genetic tests. This course encourages you to think about the cultural, philosophical and political tensions present in the debate around genetic privacy. You are invited to identify and listen to the viewpoints and values provided by the different stakeholders that shape this debate: corporations, researchers, consumers and patients. Furthermore, you will go off the beaten track by exploring the issue from the unique perspective of art and culture. After a lot of thinking, supplementing, deleting and adjusting, you will be asked to share a recommendation on how to regulate practices of disclosing genetic information, while taking into consideration the concept of genetic privacy. Your advice could serve as an eye-opener for policy makers! This online learning experience is a spin-off of The Mind of the Universe documentary series created by the Dutch broadcasting company VPRO and professor Robbert Dijkgraaf, Princeton University. A number of universities in the Netherlands have used the open source material of the documentary series as a starting point to create similar experiences.

Outline

What is on Your Mind?
How to succeed in your online class?
Introduction: Why should we talk about genetic privacy?
Course Introduction
Genetic data: Practices of disclosure
Course Overview
Meet the instructors & the team
Leiden University: Facts & Figures
Community Guidelines
What is your learning path?
Sources and video material
How do you extract DNA? [video]
Download your Learning journal
Learning journal - Step 1
What do you think about genetic privacy?

Open up Your Mind
Introduction: What is genetic privacy?
What is genetic privacy?
Interview with George Church [video]
Sources and video material
Learning journal - Step 2

Connect your mind
How can art enrich the debate around genetic privacy? - Intro
How can art enrich the debate around genetic privacy?
Art as a space for disruption - Intro
Art as a space for disruption
Sources and video material
Interview with bioartist Adam Zaretsky [video]
Sources and video material
Learning journal - Step 3

Make up your mind
Stakeholder Concerns
Podcast CEO of Hartwig Medical Foundation
Podcast Patient
Podcast Mother of three
Podcast Professor of digital cultures
Source and video material
Learning journal - Step 4
Let's recap!

Finalization
How to move into a genetic future?
Webinar Recording: Policy Recommendations
Check out the other Mind of the Universe Learning experiences

Summary of User Reviews

Discover the fascinating world of genetic privacy with the Mind of the Universe course on Coursera. This course is highly rated by users and is praised for its engaging content and thought-provoking discussions.

Key Aspect Users Liked About This Course

Many users appreciated the in-depth exploration of ethical dilemmas surrounding genetic privacy.

Pros from User Reviews

Engaging and interesting content
Thought-provoking discussions
Expert instructors with extensive knowledge of the subject matter

Cons from User Reviews

Some users found the course content to be too challenging
Limited interaction with instructors and other students
Not suitable for beginners or those with little background knowledge in genetics

Recommended for you

Mind of the Universe - Genetic Privacy: should we be concerned?

Should all our genetic information be made public in order to eradicate genetic diseases from this world? Who owns your genetic data once it becomes publicly accessible?...

Save Course