Socialising the Genome

How easy is it to strike up a conversation about genomics? Geno-what? Does the average person on the street know enough about the issues to even care? What sort of framings – narratives, metaphors, mantras and memes – can we use to socialise an otherwise dense topic that even the specialists find difficult to navigate? 'Socialising the Genome' is a research project that aims to explore potential conversation starters around genomics. Focus groups with members of the public were conducted; the natural conversation that arose was used as a basis for a series of animations. The animations were then evaluated for likability, interest and sharability by the British public. We submit two of the animations for conideration in this festival; their aim is ultimately to find an evidence-based way to communicate simple ideas around genomics. This will be relevant to all of us, as well as our biological relatives, as genomics is integrated into every health service across the world.