Título del libro: History Of Human Genetics: Aspects Of Its Development And Global Perspectives
Título del capítulo: Karyotyping and the emergence of genetic counselling in Mexico in the 1960s
ANA ROSA BARAHONA ECHEVERRIA;
Autores externos:
Idioma:
Inglés
Año de publicación:
2017
Palabras clave:
Cytogenetics; Genetic counselling in Mexico; Human genetics; Karyotyping; Salvador armendares
Resumen:
In the aftermath of World War II (WWII), there was growing interest for international peace that gave rise to international cooperation programmes and organizations that produced important changes in the international political landscape. It was in those years, when global trends in human genetics were reshaping the field of biomedicine and when growing international interest in understanding the effects of radiation on human beings led to the formation of institutions and a proliferation of multi-centred clinical trials and inter-laboratory studies. In Mexico, the first studies on chromosomes were performed by Mexican paediatrician-turned-geneticist Salvador Armendares and his colleagues at the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) in the 1960s. Their work was based on the study on congenital malformations performed by the WHO that Mexico had participated in which was carried out by Alan C. Stevenson, one of the earliest medical geneticists in the UK. Armendares spent 2 years at the British Medical Research Council in Oxford in 1964 and 1965 under Stevenson's supervision. Upon Armendares' return from England in 1966, the first Unit for Research in Human Genetics was created at the IMSS. The Unit was created with the main objective of providing medical genetic services in a clinical setting. Armendares and the colleagues who soon joined the Unit were aware of the growing importance of chromosome studies in clinical practice, particularly concerning genetic counselling for certain diseases. Human geneticists at the Unit developed precise diagnostic protocols to provide accurate genetic information to the patients for the development of future treatments and prophylaxis (preventive medicine). In his 1968 book, Citogenetica Humana (Human Cytogenetics), Armendares included a chapter on genetic counselling as being the most important practical application of human genetics knowledge. Armendares was the first to relate karyotyping with genetic counselling, translating test results and technical language for the patients or their parents at the hospital. He played a key role in educating physicians (creating the syllabus in medical genetics at the National University of Mexico) and the patients about the role of genetics in rare diseases such as Down and Turner syndromes. Armendares and his colleagues envisioned clinical work, medical research and educational programmes as endeavours that were needed urgently in clinical practice. This story is one of overlapping trajectories that involved institutions, physicians, practices and ideas that began to reshape human genetics that made the development of genetic counselling possible in Mexico in the 1960s. © Springer International Publishing AG 2017. All rights reserved.
Entidades citadas de la UNAM:
ISBN:
9783319517834
Editorial:
Springer International Publishing Nombre de la publicación:
Karyotyping and the emergence of genetic counselling in Mexico in the 1960s
Página inicial:
485
Página final:
501
