A New York Times article from March 13, 2025, introduces a new field of biology, sociogenomics. The author argues that the nature of our genes and the environment in which we are raised both impact who we are. Although Dr. Dalton Conley states that sociogenomics is a field in its infancy, he presents multiple studies that show the interaction between nature and nurture. Specifically, he mentions a genetic test that can predict what types of activities a child will exceed and whether they will have any genetic conditions. He and his wife attempted to get IVF treatment and he asked the doctor to perform this test on the embryos. The doctor refused and Dr. Conley was eventually grateful because the couple had a child naturally without having any expectations about their baby’s strengths and weaknesses. However, Dr. Conley mentions a couple who proceeded with the PGT-P test and had the world’s first preimplantation genetically screened child who is supposed to be less likely to develop any genetic diseases throughout her life. The field of sociogenomics would probably argue that a genetic test will not prevent any “bad” from occurring to this child as the girl is still subject to environmental factors that could cause disease. For example, Dr. Conley presents data that one smoker in a high school class could influence many other students to start smoking regardless of whether they personally knew the original student.
I think PGT-P tests could be beneficial when considering genetic diseases that lead to a poor quality of life, but inevitably some parents are going to choose cosmetic genes rather than considering the health of their child. I imagine the field of sociogenomics will only grow with epigenetic studies and other research that takes into account environmental factors while also recording genetic sequences. I am intrigued to see how the first PGT-P child will age and if she develops any condition that the test said she shouldn’t. Overall, I found it interesting to learn about a new field of biology that will hopefully expand and make new discoveries in the broader field of genetics.
Natalie, this discussion on sociogenomics highlights a fascinating intersection between genetics and environment, emphasizing that neither nature nor nurture acts alone in shaping an individual -the example about smoking behavior demonstrates the undeniable impact of social environments. Even with a ‘perfect’ genetic predisposition, real-world influences like peer pressure, lifestyle, and unforeseen environmental exposures will continue to shape an individual’s life.
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