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Symposium on Health Implications of Genome Research
A symposium on Human Genome Research: Implications for Health in Latin America was held in San Juan del Río, Querétaro, Mexico, on November 2-5, 1997. Sponsored by the Mexican Academy of Sciences and the International Federation of Institutes for Advanced Study, the symposium covered a wide range of topics, from mapping and sequencing methodologies to the social, ethical, and legal implications of applying knowledge acquired through human genome research.
The underlying theme of all symposium contributions was their relevance to Latin American circumstances, especially in the context of networking laboratory services to take advantage of local expertise built up over past years throughout the region. Participants explored ways to foster other collaborative projects and to create and improve networking capabilities in Latin America.
Symposium topics included the genetic aspects of susceptibility and resistance to the infectious and parasitic diseases that exact a heavy toll in suffering and loss of life throughout Latin America. Attendees also considered the development of education and training programs and the provision of genetic services, taking into account both the small numbers of trained personnel in relation to the very large population and the almost complete legal prohibition of abortion.
Finally, the heterogeneity of Latin American populations resulting from the complex nature of migration to the region, was discussed extensively as providing a unique opportunity to study human diversity. Human genome research has the potential to make a significant contribution in elucidating the genetic, historical, anthropological, and ethnological aspects of population structure. [Jose M. Cantu, lef@koch.mb.udg.mx]
