Event Date: March 25, 2020
POSTPONED: Preview Screening: The Gene: An Intimate History
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Staff
This event has been postponed due to concerns about the coronavirus.
Being part of large gatherings is among the things to avoid during the outbreak, so WITF wants to do our part to ensure the safety and well-being of our listeners.
It is a top priority of ours.
The screening will be rescheduled at a later date.
Join WITF for a free preview screening and panel discussion around The Gene: An Intimate History Wednesday, March 25 from 6—7:30pm at the WITF Public Media Center. Powerful personal stories and stunning breakthroughs reveal the historical search for the human genome and the promise of modern research. Based on Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee’s best-seller on how genes impact heredity, disease and behavior and presented by Ken Burns the new upcoming documentary series airs Tuesdays, April 7 & April 14, 2020, 9-11pm on WITF TV. But you can be among the first to see a sneak preview. Register below.
Hosted/Moderated by WITF Transforming Health reporter Brett Sholtis.
iPhone and iPad users: click here to RSVP.
ABOUT THE GENE
The film airs at a critical moment for the scientific community, as geneticists around the world wrestle with the ethical implications of new technologies that offer both promise and peril. “These revolutionary discoveries highlight the awesome responsibility we have to make wise decisions, not just for people alive today, but for generations to come,” said Dr. Mukherjee, assistant professor of medicine at the Department of Medicine (Oncology), Columbia University and staff cancer physician at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. “At this pivotal moment when scientists find themselves in a new era in which they’re able to control and change the human genome, The Gene offers a nuanced understanding of how we arrived at this point and how genetics will continue to influence our fates.”
Through a mix of community engagement and localized storytelling, WITF will extend the reach and impact of the documentary. WITF is set to distribute related “Discovery Packs” in 10 library systems throughout the region. They’ll be available for families to check out in 95 local libraries and contain a DNA Model Kit, a book and two hands on extension activities families can do at home. The Discovery Pack project launches March 16 at Martin Library from 4-5pm with a play and learn event featuring hands on activities for kids.
WITF will also host a second preview screening and panel discussions March 26 from 6—8pm for faculty, students and medical staff at Penn State College of Medicine.
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