Dinner@Dana: Living Under the Threat of Disease

What happens when a family member is diagnosed with an inherited disease? Devastating illnesses such as muscular dystrophy or Huntington’s disease can cut through entire families. Now there are diagnostic tests for a range of inherited conditions, and options to screen embryos for certain diseases during fertility treatment. So can advances in genetics and fertilisation techniques help people with the choices they have to make?

Alison Lashwood is a nurse consultant in genetic counselling at Guy’s Hospital. She is part of the team who developed a test that screens embryos for a number of inherited diseases. She will lead us through family trees, risks of passing on a condition and the ethical dilemmas and options people face when living under the threat of disease.

This event is organised by Café Scientifique.

Speaker

Alison Lashwood,nurse consultant in genetic counselling, Guy's and St Thomas Hospital