Need a clear comment on a genomics story?
Genomics is full of stories. The hard part is knowing which ones matter.
I help journalists, editors, producers and podcast teams make sense of genomics, AI biology and biotechnology: what is real, what is hype, what questions to ask, who may be affected, and why the story matters beyond the press release.
Because a genomics claim that cannot survive a hard question rarely survives a correction either — and corrections run much quieter than headlines.
Not horror. Not hype. Better questions.
Genomics is often reported in two ways: as a scary story about runaway genes, designer babies or mutant food, or as a heroic story about a life-saving breakthrough.
Both can miss the real story.
Good reporting asks what the technology actually does, who benefits, who pays, who is excluded, what evidence exists, and what the consequences could be for patients, families, ecosystems, privacy, inequality and public trust.
If a breakthrough is genuinely strong, it can survive difficult questions.
Available for
- Expert comment on genomics, AI biology and biotechnology
- Quotes for articles, features and broadcast
- Background briefings before interviews
- Podcast and documentary conversations
- Help pressure-testing claims in press releases
- Plain-English explanations of complex science
- Story angles connecting genomics with society, health, data, biodiversity and risk
The biggest stories may not look big yet
Much of what is happening in genomics is genuinely exciting. Some of the most important developments are still happening quietly: in research labs, clinical pipelines, biobanks, AI biology platforms, startups, diagnostics companies, fertility clinics, conservation projects and synthetic biology ventures.
Some breakthroughs will only look enormous in hindsight. Others will arrive with a press release long before the evidence is ready.
The job is to tell the difference.
Questions worth asking
- Is this a real breakthrough or clever positioning?
- What does the genetic test actually predict?
- Who owns the DNA data?
- What happens to family members who did not consent?
- Is the evidence strong enough?
- Who benefits, who is excluded, and who pays?
- What could this mean for disability, reproduction or inequality?
- How is AI changing biological discovery?
- Where are regulators struggling to keep up?
- What could go wrong if the technology works exactly as promised?
Topics I can comment on
Genomics and society, AI biology, clinical genomics, cancer genomics, rare disease, genetic testing, fertility and embryo testing, DNA privacy, biobanks, consent, forensic genealogy, ancestry testing, CRISPR, synthetic biology, biosecurity, biodiversity genomics, environmental DNA, precision medicine, biotech hype, public trust, regulation and the future of biotechnology.
Why ask me?
I am a genomics scientist, bioinformatician, scientific strategist and author of The Genomic Power Shift. I have worked across research, clinical genomics, cancer, rare disease, neglected tropical disease, biodiversity, population genetics, biodata infrastructure and AI-driven biology.
I have spoken with hundreds of researchers, founders and biotech teams, attended sector events, and watched how much of this field develops long before the public sees it.
My perspective is scientifically optimistic, but not naive. Genomics can save lives, transform diagnostics, protect biodiversity and open up extraordinary new possibilities. It can also be oversold, misused or deployed without enough attention to people and the planet.
Working on a genomics story?
I can help you understand the science, test the claim, find the wider angle and ask the questions that matter.