Fondation Brocher | Daphne Martschenko

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Daphne Martschenko

Assistant Professor - Stanford Center for Biomedical Ethics
United States

04.09.2023-29.09.2023

Debating DNA: How to Reckon with the Genomic Revolution

We hope to use our time at Brocher as a writing retreat for Debating DNA. Sam lives in Philadelphia while Daphne lives in San Francisco. Our locations on opposite sides of the United States bring additional challenges to the already complex process of writing a book. We have found that while Zoom is a useful tool, real-life collaboration opportunities are essential. The Brocher residency, by providing a beautiful accommodation and workplace, will give a much needed opportunity for us to work together in a single in-person location for an extended period of uninterrupted time. Being in residence at Brocher in August of 2023 aligns with when we anticipate being in the final stages of preparing our full manuscript to go out for peer review; it would therefore be an ideal time for us to work at Brocher to finalize a full draft.

A Brocher residency will help us build a network of scholars to collaborate with on the application and regulation of new genomic tools. We hope to learn from and share with our fellow Brocher residents, both on the latest developments in research and ethics but also modes for collaboration in controversial research areas. Forming friendships through shared experience is a valuable salve in a hotly contested field such as ours. In addition, it will be interesting to discuss the regulation of polygenic scores with biologists and doctors in the Leman region, as the European Union have taken very different regulatory approaches to the US.

Our goal is to produce a manuscript that represents a genuine middle ground, moving past the polarization that has plagued the biosocial sciences for decades. We also hope this book will be the first of its kind to work at moving a polarizing conversation on genetics towards proactive discussions about ethics and policy. We are driven by three primary aims in writing Debating DNA:
- Aim 1: Explore and unpack key debates and controversies surrounding genomic research on social and behavioral outcomes.
- Aim 2: Drawing on Aim 1, ensure current genomic discoveries are not used to validate social, economic, and racial inequalities.
- Aim 3: Drawing on Aim 2, prepare readers to understand and digest the growing media coverage of social and behavioral genomic research.
Additionally we have three primary objectives for our month-long stay at Brocher:
- Aim 1: Write the introductory, conclusion, and epilogue chapters to Debating DNA.
- Aim 2: Read through Debating DNA in its entirety to ensure cohesion and clarity.
- Aim 3: Prepare manuscript for submission for peer review.

I hold an MPhil from the University of Cambridge in Politics, Development, and Democratic Education and in 2019 received a Ph.D. in Education, also from the University of Cambridge. My doctoral work investigated teacher perspectives on the role and relevance of genetic data for education, focusing on how behavioral genetics research on educational attainment and intelligence intersected with educators’ conceptualizations of racial and socioeconomic disparities in the American education system. I have appeared in numerous podcasts including Freakonomics Radio. I’ve had my work published in publicly accessible media outlets like Scientific American and The Conversation. My work advocates for and facilitates research efforts that promote socially responsible communication of and community engagement with social and behavioral genomics.

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