This is a story about 3 Hoosiers. Mary Larry Bud

One day, during a routine mammogram, Mary was diagnosed with stage 1 breast cancer. The news was devastating.

Mary visits her local health professionals, who advise her to undergo the standard treatment for breast cancer.

Mary undergoes mastectomy, has several lymph nodes removed, as well as radiation, & chemotherapy. She loses her hair and becomes quite sick from the chemotherapy treatments.

Mary recovers but still has questions…. Has my child inherited my cancer-causing genes? How will my employer & insurance use this personal information? Was this the right treatment? Will my cancer come back?

Larry is a farmer, two of his main crops are corn and soybeans. Larry

This year, there was a lengthy drought that destroyed much of Larry’s crops. The news was devastating.

A friend suggests that, next year, Larry should plant that new genetically-modified, drought-resistant corn.

Larry considers it but still has questions … Are there human health risks associated with the use of genetically-modified corn? Is genetically-modified corn an environmental hazard? What are the economic concerns of buying and selling genetically-modified corn?

Bud works for the Fish & Wildlife Service. His job is to design conservation plans to protect Indiana’s endangered plants and animals. Bud

Unfortunately, despite Bud’s efforts, several species could not be saved and went extinct. The news was devastating.

Bud is left with some big questions … Could I bring these species back from the brink of extinction? If so, would it be ethical to do so? Is there a better way to conserve species?

Little do Mary, Larry, & Bud know but the science of Genomics holds the answers to their questions. For example, by genetically analyzing Mary and her tumor, we can determine whether or not she would have needed chemotherapy. In Mary’s case, her tumor was slow growing, and so chemotherapy was of no benefit to her. Without this analysis, Mary needlessly underwent chemotherapy treatment.

Genomics holds solutions to many of the major crises currently facing us including … - disease - hunger & famine - environmental disasters - energy shortages - conservation

Now imagine there is a place where Mary, Larry, and Bud can go to get answers to their questions … someplace where a group of interdisciplinary researchers can brainstorm novel solutions.

ISU welcomes the “Genomic Revolution” Science Policy Business The Institute for Genomic Advocacy Transforming society through ethics & education.

At this center, people could get answers and advice through educational and counseling programs focused on the science, policy, business, and ethics of genomic science.

Through Genomic Advocacy we can develop integrative solutions … making the world a little less devastating. Our story does not end here, this is just the beginning … embrace the Genomic Revolution!