CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM A supersize model of a strand of DNA drew the attention of Japanese tourist Mika Kubota yesterday as part of the Bishop Museum traveling exhibit.

State aims to raise
DNA dialogue

A Bishop Museum exhibit
will be used to air genetics
issues and poll participants

Clones and crime scenes

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By Helen Altonn
haltonn@starbulletin.com

Should genetics education be taught in school? If so, at what grade?

Should employers be permitted to test their employees for genetic disorders?

If you have a gene that predisposes you to a disease, does your environment play a role in the development of the disease?

These are a sampling of questions adults will be asked when visiting the Bishop Museum's "Genetics" exhibit Dec. 8. The state Department of Health's Genetics Program will take advantage of the museum's ongoing DNA exhibit to conduct a survey that will collect information on what people know about genetics and genetics programs in Hawaii.

"Most people think of 'Jurassic Park' or cloning babies" when they hear about genetics, said Nicole Sameit, assistant coordinator for a genetics awareness project in the Genetics Program.

"Most people don't associate genetics with disorders like diabetes, asthma and heart disease. We're trying to raise awareness of that, especially since so many genetic tests are available now."

Sameit said people have difficulty understanding that genetics "really molds and shapes who we are.

"A large part of what we do is to try to increase genetics awareness through education, physicians, legislators, nurses and public health administrators," Sameit said.

The program has three projects funded by grants totaling $750,000 a year, said Sylvia Au, genetics coordinator in the Special Health Needs Branch.

One is Gene AID, a genetic awareness, implementation and data project. "We realize people are not going to use new genetic technology to their advantage if they don't know about genetics," Au said.

The other projects involve:

>> Updating the 1993 state Genetics Plan, incorporating recommendations from statewide assessments.

>> A study of financial, ethical, legal and social issues involved with new screening technology for newborns.

"We find people really aren't aware of genetics, even the medical community," Au said.

Pediatricians and obstetricians seem to be more up on genetics, Au said. But many internists and family practitioners feel it has no impact on their profession and will not for five to 10 years, "so why learn it now?" she said.

The state Genetics Program's goal is to help doctors recognize genetic conditions and offer interventions, Au said. "If they don't recognize genetic conditions, how will patients be informed about what they can do?"

She said consumers recruited for genetic planning focus groups generally were very supportive of genetic technology to improve health.

They are also concerned about discrimination based on genetic information, she said. They want government to have protections "to make sure they don't lose jobs or insurance, that kids can go to schools, get grants and scholarships," she said.

In July, Hawaii became the 28th state to prohibit use of genetic information for testing for employment purposes. The new state law applies to potential and current employees.

However, most laws governing health insurance are at the federal level, Au said.

"We need the federal government to make comprehensive genetic protections for people, to treat genetic information the same as race, ethnic background or any handicap a person is born with."

Another new law mandates the Hawaii Birth Defects Program, established in 1988 as a research project, be a self-sustaining part of the Health Department.

"Almost every baby born in Hawaii is tested for several disorders at birth," Sameit said. "A lot of people are unaware that that's a genetic test or that the baby is tested for anything at birth."

She said an educational curriculum is in the early planning stages to introduce high school students to genetics.

High school students were included in focus groups to collect information for the revised state genetics plan.

"After they found out that genetics is more than boring people in labs, they said, 'What kind of careers can I have?'" Au said. "'Where can I get more information? It sounds like an exciting field to go into.'"

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Hands-on displays
shed light on clones
and crime scenes

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Star-Bulletin staff

Puzzled about DNA, cloning, genetic engineering, the function of cells and what all this means to you?

Some of those mysteries are cleared up in the Bishop Museum's new traveling exhibit, "Genetics," created by the Pacific Science Center.

A walk-in model of a cell and a huge replica of a DNA double helix are among highlights of the exhibit, open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily in Castle Hall through Jan. 5.

Visitors can explore the building blocks of life in 24 informational and fun hands-on activities.

Among them are:

>> DNA Crime Lab: Use DNA evidence to identify the suspect who committed the "crime of the century."

>> Clone-a-Sheep: Follow a step-by-step process to learn how Dolly, the cloned sheep, was created.

>> Trait Walk: Starting from a center, move from circle to circle following your personal traits.

Cloned and green-glowing mice developed by the University of Hawaii Institute of Biogenesis will be on display daily for 30 minutes at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

The cost is $14.95 for adults, $11.95 for youths 4 to 12, seniors and military.

Children under 4 and Bishop Museum Association members are free.

For every paying adult on Dec. 8, one child age 12 and under will get in free. Games and prizes will be offered.

For more information, call 847-3511 or visit www.bishopmuseum.org.