Faith

Technological advancements in genomics have led to major developments in the areas of medicine, energy, and agriculture, that are impacting society at large. Due to the pace of these developments, many professional sectors of society lack the tools and genomics knowledge necessary to understand how this new research may affect them. The Genomics for Professionals program, otherwise known as Genomics forTM, was created by the outreach team at the IGB to help different sectors of society gain a better understanding of basic concepts in biology and advancements in genomics as a whole.

Scientific and technological advancements, particularly in the area of genomics research, continue to penetrate nearly all areas of society. Yet most of the public do not have access to the knowledge or tools necessary to understand how this new research may affect them, both in their lives and in their careers. As such, Genomics for Professionals, otherwise known as Genomics forTM, was developed as a series of educational programs designed to teach basic concepts in biology and genomics to professionals within different public sectors.

There are several daunting challenges that our society has to collectively face in the coming decades, including climate change, food insecurity, and the spread of infectious diseases in an increasingly connected global community. Tackling these challenges will require scientifically-informed policies that also have to be shaped and welcomed by the public. To this end, the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, in collaboration with faith groups, will organize a workshop series—Genomics for Faith Leaders—to create an open dialogue between the local community and our scientists.