All illnesses have some heredity contribution. It's been said that genetics loads the gun and environment pulls the trigger.
Francis CollinsRead
As a Christian, but also as a scientist responsible for overseeing the Human Genome Project, one of my concerns has been the limits on applications of our understanding of the genome. Should there be limits? I think there should. I think the public has expressed their concern about ways this information might be misused.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Collins emphasizes the need for ethical boundaries in genetic research to prevent misuse of genomic information.
In this quote, Francis Collins, a prominent scientist and a Christian, reflects on his dual responsibilities in scientific research and ethical considerations while overseeing the Human Genome Project. He raises pertinent questions about the limitations that should be placed on the applications of genomic knowledge due to public concerns about potential misuse, highlighting the delicate balance between scientific advancements and moral responsibilities.
Themes
GenomeEthicsScienceResponsibilityPublic Concern
In practice
Example use cases
In a lecture on bioethics, one could use this quote to illustrate the need for ethical considerations in scientific research.
More from Francis Collins
All quotes →I think history would say that medical research has, throughout many changes of parties, remained as one of the shining lights of bipartisan agreement, that people are concerned about health for themselves, for their families, for their constituents.
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I finished up my graduate degree in quantum mechanics, but underwent a bit of a personal crisis, recognizing that I didn't want to do that for the rest of my life. It was too abstract, too far removed from human concerns.
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The brain is the most complicated organ in the universe. We have learned a lot about other human organs. We know how the heart pumps and how the kidney does what it does. To a certain degree, we have read the letters of the human genome. But the brain has 100 billion neurons. Each one of those has about 10,000 connections.
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I believe God did intend, in giving us intelligence, to give us the opportunity to investigate and appreciate the wonders of His creation. He is not threatened by our scientific adventures.
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I took biology in high school and didn't like it at all. It was focused on memorization. ... I didn't appreciate that biology also had principles and logic ... [rather than dealing with a] messy thing called life. It just wasn't organized, and I wanted to stick with the nice pristine sciences of chemistry and physics, where everything made sense. I wish I had learned sooner that biology could be fun as well.
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