Genetic Literacy Project

Genetic Literacy Project
Established 2012
Type Non-profit organization
Headquarters Cincinnati, Ohio USA
Region served
Worldwide
Executive Director
 Jon Entine[1]
Managing Editor
 Tim Barker
Parent organization
 Science Literacy Project [2]
Affiliations Epigenetics Literacy Project
Gene-ius Project [2]
Staff
4
Website https://www.geneticliteracyproject.org

The Genetic Literacy Project (GLP) is an organization dedicated to promoting public awareness and discussion of genetics, biotechnology, evolution and science literacy.[2] It was founded by science journalist Jon Entine, who serves as its executive director. The staff produces articles focusing on human genetics as well as on food and farming issues, including genetic engineering, the use and impact of crop protection chemicals and pollinator health. It also aggregates articles from various published sources.The GLP staff have been quoted on GMO, biotechnology, and eugenics in a number of publications and websites.[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]

Overview

The staff cover topics on genetically modified organisms (GMO) in agriculture and epigenetics, the expression of genes in humans and animals in the context of their environment (GLP has a companion project, the Epigenetics Literacy Project, launched in 2016). The staff also produce articles on human and animal genetics topics such as gene splicing, CRISPR, government regulation, bioethics, use of stem cells, transhumanism, nanotechnology and synthetic biology. The GLP's articles and staff are quoted and interviewed in a number of publications and websites.

History

The GLP is a non-partisan non-profit organization founded in 2011 and funded by donations from non-profit foundations and individual donors. It operated initially as an independent organization within the non-profit Statistical Assessment Service, which was based at George Mason University. STATS provided accounting services for the GLP before it dissolved in 2015. The GLP became its own 501(c)3 under the name Science Literacy Project in 2015. The SLP oversees the GLP and the Epigenetics Literacy Project, founded in 2015. Its banner logo says "Science not Ideology",[2] in reference to the gulf between scientific consensus and public perception. "A Pew Research Center poll in January found 88 percent of scientists believed GMOs to be 'generally safe' versus 37 percent of U.S. adults. That gap was the widest among 13 questions asked by Pew, surpassing divides on climate change and evolution."[14][15]

Funding

In the 2015-2016 fiscal year, top donors to the Genetic Literacy Project were:[16]

  • John Templeton Foundation, Gene-ius Project (for GLP): $92,225[17][18]
  • John Templeton Foundation Epigenetics Literacy Project: $151,985
  • Searle Freedom Trust, GLP: $150,000
  • Winkler Family Foundation,[17] GENeS Project, $50,000
  • Academics Review Charitable Association, (pass through support for University of California-Davis Biotech Literacy Bootcamp from BIO, UC-Davis and USDA): $5,000
  • Individual donations: $9,647.12[2]

Controversy

The US Right to Know, a group that obtains and publishes source materials and communications,[19] raised concerns after the GLP ran a series of articles in 2014 supportive of crop biotechnology after the scientists had been encouraged to do so by Monsanto.[20] The scientists were not paid for their articles and the GLP had control of the writing and editing process.[14] GLP has taken positions against labeling GMO foods.[21][22][23] GMO labeling has widespread public support despite the fact that the National Academy of Sciences recently released a report summarizing years of research on genetically engineered crops. The report concluded that there was "no substantiated evidence of a difference in risks to human health between currently commercialized genetically engineered (GE) crops and conventionally bred crops, nor did it find conclusive cause-and-effect evidence of environmental problems from the GE crops."[24]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Our Team". genetic literacy project. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Mission, Financial Transparency, Governorship". genetic literacy project. Retrieved 7 March 2017.
  3. ↑ Locke, Sarina. "Australia and Europe GM policies stymieing the release of new crops and food: US science writer". ABC News Australia. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  4. ↑ Kelly, Julie. "Congress Tackles the Big Problems: GMO Labels on M&M's". Forbes. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  5. ↑ Wendell, Joeanna; Entine, Jon. "2000+ Reasons Why GMOs Are Safe To Eat And Environmentally Sustainable". Forbes. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  6. ↑ Anthes, Emily. "Don't Be Afraid of Genetic Modification". New York Times. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  7. ↑ Aenille, Conrad. "G.M.O. Dilemma: Swaying a Wary Public". New York Times. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  8. ↑ Entine, Jon; Chassy, Bruce. "Why We Oppose GMO Labeling: Science and the Law". Huffington Post. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  9. ↑ "GMO safety studies and funding sources". Bio Fortified. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  10. ↑ Davis, Alex. "Children's Intelligence Comes From Their Mothers, Study Reveals". Science World Report. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  11. ↑ Pascual, Katrina. "facebook twitter reddit Comment New Software Simplifies CRISPR Methodology For Gene Editing". Tech Times. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  12. ↑ O'Toole, Gavin. "New gene therapy births 'designer baby' fears". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  13. ↑ Comfort, Nathaniel. "Is Individuality the Savior of Eugenics?". Scientific American. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  14. 1 2 "How Monsanto Mobilized Academics to Pen Articles Supporting GMOs". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  15. ↑ "G.M.O. Dilemma: Swaying a Wary Public". New York Times. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  16. ↑ "SCIENCE LITERACY PROJECT". Citizen Audit. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  17. 1 2 "citizen audit search". Citizen Audit. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  18. ↑ "GENETIC LITERACY PROJECT/GENE-IUS BIG IDEA". Templeton Fund. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  19. ↑ "GMOs". us right to know. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  20. ↑ Lipton, Eric. "Food Industry Enlisted Academics in G.M.O. Lobbying War, Emails Show". New York Times. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  21. ↑ Revkin, Andrew. "A Risk Communicator Says Industry Should Embrace Labeling of Genetically Modified Food". New York Times. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  22. ↑ "search labeling". Genetic Literacy Project. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  23. ↑ Van Hoewyk, Doug. "If GMOs are safe, why aren't they labeled? Straight answer to a valid question". Genetic Literacy Project. Retrieved 11 March 2017.
  24. ↑ Harvey, Chelsea Harvey. "People want GMO food labeled — which is pretty much all they know about GMOs". Washington Post. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
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