title: Information and Communication Technologies, Genes, and Peer-Production of Knowledge to Empower Citizens' Health.
abstract: The different and seemingly unrelated practices of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) used to collect and share personal and scientific data within networked communities, and the organized storage of human genetic samples and information-namely biobanking-have merged with another recent epistemic and social phenomenon, namely scientists and citizens collaborating as "peers" in creating knowledge (or peer-production of knowledge). These different dimensions can be found in joint initiatives where scientists-and-citizens use genetic information and ICT as powerful ways to gain more control over their health and the environment. While this kind of initiative usually takes place only after rights have been infringed (or are put at risk)-as the two cases presented in the paper show-collaborative scientists-and-citizens' knowledge should be institutionally allowed to complement and corroborate official knowledge-supporting policies.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Statistica, Informatica, Applicazioni "G. Parenti", Università di Firenze, Viale Morgagni 59, 50134, Florence, Italy.|Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (I.R.S.T.), Via Piero Maroncelli 40, 47014, Meldola, FC, Italy.
authors.forename: Annibale
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Biggeri
authors.affiliation: Facoltà di Economia e Giurisprudenza, Università Cattolica S.C., Via Emilia Parmense 84, 29100, Piacenza, Italy. mariachiara.tallacchini@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Mariachiara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tallacchini
mesh_terms: D018070:Biological Specimen Banks; D003256:Community Participation; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D004777:Environment; D004782:Environmental Health; D005823:Genetics; D006801:Humans; D033181:Information Dissemination; D000073256:Information Technology; D019359:Knowledge; D010379:Peer Group; D011209:Power, Psychological; D011340:Problem Solving; D011634:Public Health; D012106:Research; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D060756:Social Networking
keywords: Biobanks; Health and environment; ICT; Peer-production of knowledge