Genetics, Genomics, and Genealogy: A Fruit Fly Geneticist’s Journey
October 21 @ 10:30 am – 12:00 pm EDT
“Explorations: The Penn State Emeritus Academy Lecture Series” is open to the public and features the ongoing intellectual contributions of Penn State’s esteemed emeritus faculty. Stephen W. Schaeffer will present “Genetics, Genomics, and Genealogy: A Fruit Fly Geneticist’s Journey” from 10:30 a.m. to noon, Oct. 21. Fruit flies (Drosophila) are not just an annoying problem in your kitchen but have served as a model system for the study of biological systems for over 100 years, leading to 10 Nobel Prize winners in genetics, development, immunity, and circadian rhythm. This lecture will examine how fruit flies have contributed to our understanding of how chromosomes evolve through genome biology and will segue into a personal discussion of how direct-to-consumer DNA tests can help us understand our personal genealogical history. Schaeffer has worked in the field of genetics for over 40 years and has seen the expansion of DNA sequencing from short sequences to complete genomes. He served as a group leader for analysis of chromosomal evolution of 12 diverse Drosophila species. For over 10 years, he has worked with direct-to-consumer databases (23andMe and Ancestry) to learn about his family history.