Melissa Chan

Professor Stephen Bezruchka

GH 482, Section AJ
April 18, 2016
Community Engagement Exercise 1: Proposal

For this community engagement exercise, I will hold a screening of the DNA is Not
Destiny segment from The Raising of America. The event will take place on April 29, from
3:00-5:00pm in the Research Commons Red Room C.
DNA is Not Destiny explores how adverse social environments produce biological
obstacles to success. This segment presents a series of research examples that illustrate how
social factors present during prenatal and early childhood influence epigenetic changes in fetal
and infant DNA that ultimately affect long term health.
Studies done on mouse and rat models looked at DNA methylation controlling gene
activity as an epigenetic trait influenced by a pups prenatal and early life environments. These
experiments also showed correlations between stressful social environments, impaired ability for
mothers to care for their pups, and correspondingly worse health outcomes for the pups.
Additionally, a longitudinal study conducted with working, middle class families resulted in the
realization of second-hand stress, the idea that infants raised in high-stress environments
continue to carry that stress and resulting poorer health outcomes with them through
development.
Expanding on the research presented, the segment then discusses the wealth-health
gradient, describing how adverse social conditions and their corresponding negative effects on
the epigenome affect people along a continuum corresponding to social status. The poor are
disproportionately biologically primed for more difficulties in life. The segment then ends with
a call to action to integrate these biological research findings into public policy making.
I chose to screen the DNA is Not Destiny segment because I am really interested in
these experiments that are operating at the intersection between social inequality and biology.
Knowing that this segment has that strong biological focus, I wanted to gather a diverse group of
people to see what perspectives they brought on this topic from their various fields. I started
advertising this CEE event by personally inviting friends who I thought would be interested in an
interdisciplinary discussion. So far I have seven people confirmed, with backgrounds ranging
from nursing and biology to engineering and speech and hearing sciences. I have also just
opened the invitation to my Neurobiology major cohort, as well as two RSOs I am involved in.
After the screening, I will facilitate an interactive discussion. My plan includes a
discussion about initial reactions, continued guided discussion through a handout, and a group
poster-drawing exercise. The handout will consist of three components. First, there will be a list
of my interpretation of the segments main points that will be used to guide the outline of the
discussion; I will also ask participants to add other main points they feel should be included.
Second, there will be a few reflective questions under each main point that can be used as
springboards for discussion, but I will encourage participants to continue with their own
questions and ideas as well. Third, there will be time towards the end of the discussion for
participants to reflect on their own childhood experiences and how they may have affected their
health outcomes today. And finally, the poster-drawing exercise will wrap up the event. I will ask
participants to divide into smaller groups and draw what they perceive as the most important
takeaways and potential next steps from the information presented in DNA is Not Destiny.