Welcome to the Festival of Genomics & Biodata 2022, where we will bring world genomics experts around the virtual Talkaoke table. To find out more about the Festival programme and register your attendance follow this link.

Tuesday 25^th January  

1PM: Is obesity genetic and do diets actually work?

Giles Yeo (Principal Investigator, University of Cambridge) will be joining this Talkaoke session to delve further into bodyweight and to uncover the truth behind common dieting misconceptions.

2PM: What can space travel teach us and is it worth it?

Joseph Borg (Associate Professor and Principal Investigator, University of Malta) will be joining this Talkaoke session to discuss genomics research in space and what it can teach us about human health and disease. This session will also explore the future and ethics of space research.

3PM: What can cellular heterogeneity teach us about neurodegenerative diseases?

In this Talkaoke session, Wei-Ting Chen (Staff Scientist, KU Leuven) will be discussing all things single cell and spatial transcriptomics and how these technologies can provide us with insights into neurodegenerative diseases.

4PM: The impact of the downfall of Theranos on the start-up landscape

In this session, the People Speak will discuss the recent sentencing of Theranos founder, Elizabeth Holmes, and the impact this will have on the start-up landscape. This session will also explore the future of blood-test technology.

Wednesday 26^th January  

1PM: Big data – diversity and data analysis

In this session, Samuel Tallman (Genomics Data Scientist, Genomics England) and Lyra Nightingale (Ethics Lead ‑ Diverse Data and Cancer, Genomics England) will discuss the use of big health data and issues with data diversity.

2PM: Has research forgotten the end goal – patient benefit?

We will be joined by Peter Coleman (Independent Researcher and Full-time Carer) and Daniel Lewi (Co-Founder and Chief Executive, The Cure & Action for TaySachs Foundation) who will use their patient care experience to detail how research can be improved to become more patient centred. The discussion will also delve into how public engagement with science and research can be developed.

3PM: Is it the end of the diagnostic odyssey?

For this session, Charlotte Hobbs (VP Research and Clinical Management, Rady Children’s Institute) will discuss the efforts being undertaken at Rady Children’s Institute for Genomic Medicine to diagnose critically ill children using whole-genome sequencing. This conversation will explore the ethical implications of receiving a diagnosis and the ongoing challenges that must be overcome.

4PM: Preparing for future pandemics

This Talkaoke session will discuss the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, how we can prepare for future pandemics and the impact of effective science communication.

Thursday 27^th January  

1PM: Is newborn screening ethical?

In this session, David Bick (Clinical Advisor, Genomics England) and Alice Tuff-Lacey (Programme Lead, Newborn initiative, Genomics England) will be exploring developments in newborn screening and the ongoing challenges that remain. This session will be an important opportunity to address the ethical issues that arise with such programmes.

2PM: Are we ready for polygenic embryo screening?

Todd Lencz (Professor of Psychiatry and Molecular Medicine, Northwell Health) will be joining us for this Talkaoke session where he will highlight the current landscape of polygenic embryo screening and the ongoing ethical questions that must be addressed before it is implemented. But should embryo screening ever enter the clinic?

3PM: Making the undruggable druggable.

In this session, we explore the challenges of identifying drug targets and how omic technologies are providing us with greater opportunities for drug development.

4PM: Are animals the answer to the organ donation shortage?

This Talkaoke session will discuss the recent transfer of a genetically engineered pig’s heart into a human, the history of xenografts and the ethical questions that arise from such procedures.