Correct
GE³LS, in the context of genomics, does mean something different. "GE³LS" stands for genomics-related ethical, environmental, economic, legal and social research. The GE³LS acronym represents a relatively unique type of research program that spans a broad spectrum of academic disciplines in the social sciences and humanities fields. Whereas comparable research programs focus primarily on ethical, legal and social (ELS) questions related to health research, GE³LS adds "economic" and "environmental" into the mix of relevant questions related to "genomics" research. This is the reason we see "G" and two extra "Es" in this specially branded acronym, which has come to be affectionately known in Canada as "GE³LS" for short.

Correct
GE³LS research does not impede scientific progress. On the contrary, GE³LS research helps enable the responsible progress and application of genomics research. While genomics research aims to achieve desirable benefits for society, the sheer power, momentum and speed of technological advances require careful study of competing social values, potential impacts and unanticipated consequences. The role of GE³LS researchers is to complement genomics research by studying its broader ethical, economic, environmental, legal and social implications. Rather than hampering science, GE³LS research provides this broader perspective to help prevent scientific tunnel vision and help enable well-balanced and socially-beneficial scientific progress.

Correct
Trying to mix genomics researchers and GE³LS researchers is NOT like trying to mix oil and water. Genomics researchers and GE³LS researchers can work cohesively together as part of an interdisciplinary team. GE³LS research adds significant value to large scale genomics projects and contributes to advancing project goals and achieving successful outcomes. Rather than being "tacked on" to the scientific aspects of a project as an after-thought, GE³LS research can – and should – be more meaningfully integrated in a research project right from the start. Successful integration brings GE³LS and genomics researchers together right at the very beginning of the application process. As true partners at the table, GE³LS and genomics researchers bring their respective knowledge and expertise to the project from a broad spectrum of disciplinary backgrounds to:

• conceptualize the overall project;
• define and shape the relevant research questions and milestones;
• set out the research design and methodology;
• carry out related GE³LS research (which could involve any number of individual projects operating in parallel and synergistically to enable the overall project goals);
• anticipate and address potential issues that may arise;
• contribute to the advancement of knowledge in their respective disciplines;
• enable potential uptake of research results by relevant knowledge users;
• evaluate the process and end-results; and
• identify future research questions requiring further study.

Correct
The primary role of GE³LS researchers is not to tell genomics researchers what's right and wrong. GE³LS researchers have no higher moral status or legitimacy than any other scientific researcher. Lawyers may be professionally trained to know what is legal or illegal, philosophers may be accustomed to making and defeating moral arguments and social scientists may be able to assess what society views as being acceptable or unacceptable but, by and large, there are no simple "right" or "wrong" answers to the broad and complex issues that GE³LS research studies. The very reason we need to fund GE³LS research is to study, in an in-depth, thoughtful and systematic way, the multi-faceted implications of genomics research and its potential applications. This involves balancing not only legal, ethical and social considerations, but also taking into account economic and environmental perspectives as well. GE³LS research aims to:

• anticipate the unexpected risks and impacts on society and societies – in current and future generations;
• critically examine potential consequences of, and impediments to, scientific progress;
• understand, assess and address the public's concerns; and
• describe, define and/or recommend normative frameworks.

Correct
There are many ways to conduct GE³LS research depending on the area of study, the research question being asked and the disciplinary approach being taken. GE³LS research can employ a wide variety of research methods, either alone or in combination, including:

• theoretical approaches to help us conceptualize the nature of emerging technologies, how these relate to what we know (or don't know) and their potential implications for society;
• prescriptive approaches to develop and propose regulatory norms, policy frameworks, governance regimes, and/or practical guidelines for genomics research and its applications;
• descriptive literature reviews, systematic analyses and comparative studies to help us synthesize the existing state of knowledge on a given issue and better understand the various approaches currently being taken to address it;
• evaluation methods, such as case study designs, modelling techniques, risk or impact assessments, and benefit-cost evaluations to help us test out various hypotheses and assess the potential impact of different approaches;
• empirical methods, using survey instruments, communication modelling techniques and interactive computer technologies, to canvass the views, attitudes, needs, expectations, concerns and perceptions of various publics; and
• translational research, to help us better understand and address the practical challenges associated with transforming genomics knowledge into concrete results for societal benefit.

Correct
GE³LS related aspects are often portrayed in the media and other literature in the context of human genomics, such as stem cell research, pharmacogenomics, and genetic testing. However, just as genomic research involves more than the human genome, GE³LS research considers all aspects of genomic science and technology. This includes all living organisms with genomes such as animals, agriculture, forests, soil and fish. Examples of GE³LS research projects involving other, non-human life-forms include:

• An analysis of socio-economic impacts and environmental issues associated with the use of genomics research to enhance breeding of softwood trees
• Intellectual property, environmental, and public consultation issues relevant to the breeding of elite cod broodstock
• Examining the environmental and socio-economic impacts of low temperature tolerant crops
• Examining Canada's Regulatory System for Plants with Novel Traits (PNTs)

Genome Canada has released the results of its strategic competition in Agriculture, Biofuels and Crops. In the coming three to five years, Canada will see a significant number of new GE³LS research projects, building capacity and contributing new knowledge in these critically important sectors. See announcement

Correct
GE³LS research is certainly not confined to academic publications. It takes place on the ground and has significant impact in the real world. GE³LS research results can assist policy makers, researchers, practitioners and consumers in better understanding the implications of genomics research and making more informed decisions about its potential applications. GE³LS research can also help ensure that the broader ethical, economic, environmental, social and legal implications of research are well considered and taken into account when applying genomics research in practice and shaping public policy.

One of many examples of how GE³LS research can make a difference in the "real world" is the BC Biobank Deliberation. The project designed an in-depth public engagement process that could extract the knowledge, insight and advice of an educated citizenry to inform policy. The recommendations from the BC Biobank Deliberation have now been taken into account by the BC Biolibrary in informing its policies and operating procedures. The Mayo Clinic in the United States and the Office of Population Health and Genomics in Western Australia have since held similar public engagements to hear the views of ordinary citizens and use what they heard to inform guidelines and policy documents on biobanks.

Correct
In a report published in November 2006, the ERASAGE consortium conducted an international review of various ethical, legal, social (ELS) research programs equivalent to GE³LS among various European countries, Canada and Israel. The report compares similarities and differences in approaches and themes adopted to study the relationship between genomics and society. Overall, the Report concludes that, comparatively speaking, Canada, together with the UK and the Netherlands, has a strongly developed GE³LS program and in fact, Canada is particularly highlighted as the "benchmark country". See Conclusions at pages 29-30 of the Report, available online.

Moreover, a bibliometric study commissioned by Genome Canada and completed in December 2008 concluded that Canada is well positioned in terms of its GE³LS research publications, ranking fourth in the world from 1996-2007, just behind the U.S., U.K. and Denmark, and on par with Australia using a multi-criteria rating. Although numbers of GE³LS related publications and citations alone cannot provide any meaningful measure of GE³LS research achievements, which are far more complex to describe, they do nonetheless provide one concrete indicator.

More recently, an External Evaluation of Genome Canada conducted by KPMG in May 2009 found that Canada’s leadership in GE³LS research had improved substantially since Genome Canada was created, from an average rating of "fair to good" prior to Genome Canada, to an average rating of "excellent" now. In respect of integrated GE³LS research, the evaluation revealed that 47% of respondents believed Canada has done this well or very well. Much of this enthusiasm can be attributed particularly to the international respondents who regarded Canada’s experience with GE³LS integration as faring better than that of their own countries. International reviewers saw GE³LS integration "as a key defining characteristic of Genome Canada and very valuable".