As many Americans give genetic testing kits to family members this holiday season, it brings up an important question: How can the genetic data you share with private companies be used?
Georgia State University’s Leslie Wolf provided insight about the subject during the first Women Inspire lecture for the 2018-19 academic year this November. Wolf is a Distinguished University Professor and director of the Georgia State College of Law’s Center for Law, Health & Society.
Professor Wolf discussed confidentiality of genomic data after the Golden State Killer case in California, where investigators tracked down a suspect through genomic data the man had uploaded to a genealogical website. Millions of Americans have shared their genomes with companies to learn more about their ancestry. The recent arrest of the Golden State Killer case highlighted how law enforcement and others may be interested in accessing such databases.
Wolf shares a joint appointment with the Georgia State School of Public Health, and conducts research in a variety of areas in health and public health law and ethics, with a focus on research ethics.
Open to the university community, the speaker series showcases distinctive women from the ranks of Georgia State’s stellar faculty who are making a difference and are eager to share their stories to empower others.
Please see the video below to view Professor Wolf’s talk, and a gallery of photos from the session.
