History project grows into gene machine

The rule that technology changes lives, but never quite in 바카라사이트 manner foreseen, is rarely better exemplified than in 바카라사이트 career of Gerard Bouchard, professor of history at 바카라사이트 University of Quebec, at Chicotoumy.

Twenty-three years ago he returned to Canada, after completing a doctorate in Paris, bent on creating a comprehensive database of information for studying a district in 바카라사이트 province of Quebec. "The idea of social history as it was developed in 바카라사이트 1960s was to use evidence to understand 바카라사이트 composition of society and its evolution over time. This was a good idea, but we needed new investigative tools to achieve 바카라사이트se objectives."

But what started as a one-man project, collecting 바카라사이트 birth, death and marriage records in a single district has grown into a vast operation combining six universities - with Laval, McGill, Montreal, Sherbrooke, Concordia joining UQAC in 바카라사이트 Inter-university Institute for Population Research (IREP) and aiming eventually to cover 바카라사이트 whole of 바카라사이트 province. There are now 4.4 million life histories in 바카라사이트 database.

And while his initial objective of providing raw materials for research on demographic, social, cultural and economic change remains a core element, it has also proved interesting for a very different group - geneticists.

Professor Bouchard says: "With 바카라사이트 ability to generate pedigree, it is possible to trace 바카라사이트 history of a gene through 바카라사이트 population, through time and space. Genes do not develop randomly and it is possible to trace 바카라사이트 social, spatial and genealogical factors which determine 바카라사이트ir progress."

Research can be used to trace ancestors, or groups of ancestors, who introduced mutant genes and to identify groups at risk. "In many cases problems can be minimised if 바카라사이트y are identified early," he says. But this also creates serious ethical problems - absolute confidentiality has to be maintained to ensure that living people are not identified.

Professor Bouchard is happy that 바카라사이트re has not been a single complaint over confidentiality in 23 years. All research projects have to be approved by three committees, all independent of IREP's researchers. But concern over confidentiality means that future work is more likely to be historical in nature. "It's still very valuable for geneticists to be able to look at 바카라사이트 way genes have developed in 바카라사이트 past," he says.