PeaceJam | Tutu Participates in Genetic Test to Combat Disease

Tutu Participates in Genetic Test to Combat Disease

Posted 2/17/2010 at 12:36 PM by Bradlee A in Laureates News
Affiliate: PeaceJam HQ

Archbishop Desmond Tutu has decided to take the Global Call to Action Halting the Spread of Global Disease to a new level. He recently allowed his DNA to be examined in a test to study genetic diversity and health, which can be used to combat diseases.

Doreen Walton, BBC News wrote:
Archbishop Desmond Tutu said the results of the study were important for everybody, not just southern Africans. "It is exciting that science is finding evidence among groups of people as well as among individuals and this discovery should be embraced, not feared," he said.

"It would be disastrous if scientists were to ignore the diversity of the human race because this is the greatest asset of humanity."

To read more of this incredibly interesting article, click here.

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Betsy L wrote:
I think this article is so interesting. It's fun to read about the Archbishop on a subject manner he's not usually known for. I love that quote about the diversity of the human race. This man can make connections to the power of humanity in amazing ways. I would never have thought about genetic testing as a means to find value in human diversity. Yay, Desmond!
posted 2/17/2010 at 12:44 PM

Dawn E wrote:
This is a really interesting article... I read it in the New York Times yesterday... go, Archbishop Tutu!
posted 2/18/2010 at 9:10 AM

Theresa K wrote:
Only Desmond Tutu brings diversity and understanding to genetics. Very cool.
posted 2/18/2010 at 3:04 PM

Brett E wrote:
cool news post. I like Tutu's quote =)
posted 2/21/2010 at 1:39 AM

Pantea B wrote:
I love that the Arch really cares about this GCA and is all over the place with different projects that address global disease. As a Rotarian I can tell you that he is very much behind our PolioPlus initiative. We are only down to 4 countries, meaning we are "this" close to eradicating polio from the some 180 countries we started to vaccinate in the 80's. It will take research studies like the one in this article, and many more collaborative efforts to halt the spread of global disease!
posted 2/25/2010 at 8:26 AM

Jes W wrote:
This is SO interesting! I hope that this information can be used to benefit humanity and doesn't serve as further fuel to divide us as in the Eugenics movement. One big difference is that Eugenics was not based on sound or real science...it is still scary to me to think of people finding more ways to divide humanity--I hope we use this new information for good--for example that we don't use genetic research to create a hierarchy or idea of superiority.
posted 3/3/2010 at 10:18 AM