Steve Joffe Named Chair of the Genomics and Society Working Group

Steve Joffe, MD, MPH, has been named as Chair of the Genomics and Society Working Group, which serves as the external advisory committee for the National Human Genome Research Institute’s (NHGRI) Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (ELSI) program.

“It’s a privilege to be asked to assume leadership of the Genomics and Society Working Group," Dr. Joffe said. "This group of senior scholars who study the ethical, legal, and social implications of genomics provide important guidance to the NHGRI’s ELSI program as it shapes and supports the field. I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues and the program’s leadership over the coming years to help move this important work forward.”

The Genomics and Society Working Group, according to the NHGRI website, are involved in the following activities:

• "Provides input about the ELSI Research Program, including input about its relative research priorities, the appropriate balance between investigator-initiated and program-initiated research, and the best use of limited budgetary and staff resources.
• Provides input about the activities of the Division of Genomics and Society in light of changes in genomics, genomic medicine, and the policy landscape, aiming to identify emerging issues or gaps.
• Identifies areas of potential synergy or collaboration among the different Genomics and Society research and policy components of NHGRI (noting that formal oversight of the Intramural Research Program components is provided by the NHGRI Board of Scientific Counselors).
• Identifies areas of potential synergy or collaboration between NHGRI and other NIH Institutes and national and international organizations.
• Identifies Genomics and Society issues and activities that are more appropriately addressed by other NIH Institutes or other agencies or organizations."