title: Using a Historical Lens to Envision the Next Generation of Genomic Translation Research.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The past 20 years have witnessed successive and exponential advances in genomic discovery and technology, with a broad scientific imperative pushing for continual advancements. The most consistent critique of these advances is that they have vastly outpaced translation of new knowledge into improvements in public health and medicine.
  
  
  METHODS
  We employ a historical and epistemological analysis to characterize how prevailing scientific meta-narratives have shaped the pace and priorities of research applying genomics to health promotion. We use four 'pivotal events' - the genetic characterization of Down syndrome, the launch of the Human Genome Research Project, the discovery of BRCA1, and the emergence of direct-to- consumer genetic testing - to illustrate how these scientific meta-narratives have inhibited genomic translation research.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The notion that discovery should precede translation research has over-focused translation research on the latest genetic testing platform. The idea that genetic-related research has an exceptional potential for public harm has encouraged research on worst case scenarios. The perceived competition between genetics and social determinants of health has discouraged a unified research agenda to move genomic translation forward.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We make a case for creating new scientific meta-narratives in which discovery and translation research agendas are envisioned as an interdependent enterprise.
authors.affiliation: Emory University Rollins School of Public Health, Atlanta, Ga., USA.
authors.forename: Colleen M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: McBride
authors.forename: Leah R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Abrams
authors.forename: Laura M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Koehly
mesh_terms: D019313:BRCA1 Protein / Q000235:genetics; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics; D000067088:Direct-to-Consumer Advertising; D004314:Down Syndrome / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D036281:Genetic Research; D005820:Genetic Testing / Q000941:ethics / Q000639:trends; D023281:Genomics / Q000941:ethics / Q000639:trends*; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D033262:Narration; D011634:Public Health / Q000941:ethics / Q000639:trends; D064890:Social Determinants of Health / Q000941:ethics / Q000639:trends; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical / Q000941:ethics / Q000639:trends*
chemical_list: D019313:BRCA1 Protein