Societal aspects
Apart from conducting research to understand the molecular and cellular basis of cancer, the CGC has several outreach activities and research projects that aim to develop new genomics educational programs for secondary high school students. These projects are carried out in the context of the Centre for Society and Genomics and involve CGC researchers as well as social and educational scientists at other research institutes, such as the Freudenthal Institute for Science Education of Utrecht University and the University of Humanistics in Utrecht.
Mobile DNA-lab ‘Read the language of the tumor’
In the current high school curriculum, DNA is an important yet rather isolated topic that pupils often perceive as complex and highly abstract. In order to introduce modern DNA-research to schools and to make pupils acquainted with current genomics topics and their implications for society, the CGC has developed a mobile DNA-lab that is offered free of charge to all secondary schools (4-6 havo/vwo) in the Netherlands. The 4hr educational modules contain a 2hr practical lab taught at the schools by university students with up-to-date genomics equipment and techniques.
The pupils are given the role of DNA-researchers and are asked to compare DNA from cancer cells of a (fictive) patient with DNA of healthy cells. Based on their results, they have to advise the physician on the optimal treatment of this particular patient. The module was developed in collaboration with the Freudenthal Institute for Science Education of Utrecht University in line with the recommendations of the Committee Innovation Biology Education (‘Commissie Vernieuwing Biologie Onderwijs’) regarding the context-concept approach.
Teachers can obtain additional information and register at the dedicated website www.dnalabs.nl
The CGC furthermore supports the Junior Science program of the Erasmus Medical Centre that aims to interest upper-secondary school pupils (5-6vwo) in scientific research by offering 2-week practicals in their university labs.
AllesoverDNA
The DNA-lab ‘Read the language of the tumor’ is supported by a series of about 30 articles within the theme ‘Cancer & Genomics” on the public website www.allesoverdna.nl (in Dutch). Here the visitor can find the latest insights in the cellular mechanisms that drive cancer, interviews with renowned cancer researchers and information on the use of micro-arrays in cancer research and their potential for application in the clinic. The theme was launched on 1 October 2005 and is targeted primarily at upper-secondary school pupils but is also visited frequently by (relatives and friends of) cancer patients. For the first group, suggestions for research projects (‘profielwerkstuk’) have been included as well as an interactive quiz and a map of the Netherlands showing this week’s DNA-labs.
Genomics education research
Cancer genomics research (as opposed to genetics research) has resulted in several paradigm shifts: (i) a shift from the focus on single disease-causing genes to the understanding that cancer is a disease of cellular signalling networks involving a large number of genes and proteins that interact in a complex manner to determine cell (dys)function; (ii) as a result, a shift from tests that focus on one biomarker to tests that enable the determination of several biomarkers of a given tumour. Such biomarkers are characteristic alterations in DNA, RNA and proteins that can be used in clinical practice to determine risk and type of cancer, prognosis, choice of - and response to – therapy and disease progression; (iii) a shift from a focus on the organ in which a primary tumour manifests itself to biomarkers that reflect the basic underlying processes that turn a normal cell into a cancer cell. Because of these paradigm shifts and the resulting increased complexity of the contents of available information, a different approach regarding education and communication with health-care professionals and patients, and the society at large is required.
Thereto the CGC has developed a coherent societal research programme with 4 interacting research projects:
“DNA labs for citizenship: Learning for understanding and valuing genomics in upper-secondary education” (Dr. Dirk Jan Boerwinkel) read more
“Towards a strategy for embedding genomics literacy in science education: in search of common concepts and issues” (Dr. Dirk Jan Boerwinkel) read more
“Educating for visual literacy in a genomics world: fostering imagery of cellular and molecular dynamics in science education (Ir. Marc van Mil) read more
“Beyond common ground: collaborative learning of stakeholders in cancer genomics” (Dr. Roald Verhoeff) read more
The programme is coordinated by prof. A.J. (Arend Jan) Waarlo (Freudenthal Institute for Science and Mathematics Education, Utrecht University) and dr. J.E. (Annelies) Speksnijder (Cancer Genomics Centre).