Louisiana Genetics and Hereditary Health Care Education Center
The Louisiana Genetics and Hereditary Education Center is a collection of educational information about genetics, especially those genetic issues that are important to the people of Louisiana. The Louisiana Genetics and Hereditary Education Center is written and designed to be useful to the families of individuals affected by genetic disease, as well as to their healthcare providers. By serving both families and providers, the authors of The Louisiana Genetics and Hereditary Education Center seek to create the common ground that is crucial in understanding the often complex genetic and social issues surrounding the health of individuals, communities, and cultures.
With The Louisiana Genetics and Hereditary Education Center, we have gathered the geneticists, researchers, educators, and counselors who are the most knowledgeable about genetics and Louisiana peoples. Most of the contributors to The Louisiana Genetics and Hereditary Education Center are Louisiana residents and practitioners, and others have either trained or have conducted research here among the families of Louisiana. While we focus on Louisiana and its peoples, we also recognize the remarkable genetic similarity of peoples around the world and from all cultures. For this reason, The Louisiana Genetics and Hereditary Education Center can serve as a useful resource of genetic information for all.
In The Louisiana Genetics and Hereditary Education Center, you will find the following features:
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About Genetic Diseases: This section is a collection of brief and easy-to-understand chapters on the genetic diseases and health concerns most important to the peoples and families of Louisiana. Each of these educational chapters is complete with links to find further information, as well as with contact information from the author.
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Genetics and History: Here we have collected interesting and informative articles on the powerful connection between genetics and human history. Some of the authors of these articles have served as keynote speakers at our Genetics of the Acadian People public forums.
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Family Stories: Because the roots of inherited disease are planted at birth, the trials and tribulations of affected individuals and their families are life-long. Recognizing the importance of sharing life stories among individuals with similar health problems, we have invited several of our colleagues and patients to share with you their experiences. Their contributions to The Louisiana Genetics and Hereditary Education Center in this section are stories of extraordinary courage and selflessness.
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Glossary: Just like any aspects of medicine, the communication of genetics and hereditary healthcare is helped by the use and understanding of precise and sometimes technical terms.
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About Genetics in Louisiana: Although The Louisiana Genetics and Hereditary Education Center was created at the beginning of the 21st century, the foundations of genetic studies in Louisiana were laid in the early 1950's. In this section, we allow you to explore those beginnings and experience the breadth of growth since then. Of special importance are explanations of state and regional services for genetic diseases, as well as contact information for genetic clinics around the state.
We encourage you to fully explore the The Louisiana Genetics and Hereditary Education Center website. Each of the chapters, articles, and stories are easily printable through your Internet browser, and you may keep printed copies either for your own information or to share with other families. Most importantly, we invite you to tell us about the usefulness of The Louisiana Genetics and Hereditary Education Center and to tell us what other types of information would be useful to you in future editions of the website. Because we adhere to a strict policy that protects your privacy as a concerned Louisiana citizen (see our Privacy Policy below), you should feel free to send us your comments and suggestions at any of the "Contact Us" icons on the website.
Louisiana Genetics and Hereditary Education Center Co-Directors and Co-Editors: