Scientific MOOCs follower. Author of Airpocalypse, a techno-medical thriller (Out Summer 2017)


Welcome to the digital era of biology (and to this modest blog I started in early 2005).

To cure many diseases, like cancer or cystic fibrosis, we will need to target genes (mutations, for ex.), not organs! I am convinced that the future of replacement medicine (organ transplant) is genomics (the science of the human genome). In 10 years we will be replacing (modifying) genes; not organs!

Anticipating the $100 genome era and the P4™ medicine revolution. P4 Medicine (Predictive, Personalized, Preventive, & Participatory): Catalyzing a Revolution from Reactive to Proactive Medicine.

I am an early adopter of scientific MOOCs. I've earned myself four MIT digital diplomas: 7.00x, 7.28x1, 7.28.x2 and 7QBWx. Instructor of 7.00x: Eric Lander PhD.

Upcoming books: Airpocalypse, a medical thriller (action taking place in Beijing) 2017; Jesus CRISPR Superstar, a sci-fi -- French title: La Passion du CRISPR (2018).

I love Genomics. Would you rather donate your data, or... your vital organs? Imagine all the people sharing their data...

Audio files on this blog are Windows files ; if you have a Mac, you might want to use VLC (http://www.videolan.org) to read them.

Concernant les fichiers son ou audio (audio files) sur ce blog : ce sont des fichiers Windows ; pour les lire sur Mac, il faut les ouvrir avec VLC (http://www.videolan.org).

Brief background of this blog


I am a biology MOOC course evangelist. Medicine is changing due to discoveries in genomics that are happening right now. We all need to get the right information about that (hope; not hype).

I started this blog, Ethics, Death & Health 2.0, in March 2005, in France, under French name "éthique et transplantation d'organes". Back then I was working with Intuitive Surgical Europe, Marketing. Having heard some persistant polemics among surgeons and other physicians about "brain death", I decided to start a blog to write about these polemics and see if people would respond. I intended to say just a few things actually but the blog went live (mainly on this topic, I'm afraid) until end of 2010, with testimonials coming from parents of deceased "donors" (these "donors" were young or elderly people), transplant surgeons, transplant patients, patients awaiting an organ, associations promoting organ donation, even people who were asked to donate vital organs from a dying loved one would seek counsel...

Did you know that French citizens are not allowed to have their genome sequenced? It is forbidden by law. Consent to "post-mortem" organ donation is written in the French law.

End of 2010 I met with Steve Jobs (surprise!!) who told me my blog was "stupid," as "people need hope". I was instructed to follow MITx MOOCs in genomics, as it was going to be "the future of medicine". I earned myself three edX-MITx certificates, 7.00x, 7.28x1 & 7.QBWx (no scientific background, PhD in German literature!). Ethics, Death & Health 2.0 is a blog about MOOCs in genomics, wet lab (biology) + dry lab (python, MATLAB) = quantitative biology; breaking news in genomics & "the creative destruction of medicine" and... genomic entertainment (I'm a writer).

I am very grateful for MITxBio MOOCs as they are fascinating, high quality and empowering for change in patient/citizen engagement and healthcare system.

Catherine Coste
@cathcoste on Twitter
https://www.facebook.com/possessus


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1 commentaire:

Ethics, Health and Death 2.0 a dit…

In FR, it is forbidden by law to have your genome sequenced on your own initiative. But maybe I, as a FR citizen, can donate my genomic data?

jeudi 27 novembre 2014 à 23:52:00 UTC+1

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