DNA Roulette was developed by Michigan State University professor Carrie Heeter and Stanford geneticist Barry Starr to help players understand what Direct to Consumer (DTC) testing does and does not tell you about your health. This presentation at Games for Health 2012 in Boston introduces the game.

1. DNA Roulette:
Understanding Genetics & Genetic Testing
through Gaming
by Professor Carrie Heeter

2. Dr. Barry Starr
• Geneticist, Stanford
• Director of Stanford at the Tech
If only I were in Boston…

3. Michigan State University launches fully
online graduate certificate in serious games
web:
seriousgames.msu.edu
LIKE us on Facebook:
facebook.com/GamesAndMeaningfulPlay
contact:
Carrie Heeter
heeter@msu.edu
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4. Meaningful Play conference
• meaningfulplay.msu.edu
• July 16 submission deadline
for games, talks, & papers
• Keynotes so far:
– Kurt Squire (U Wisconsin)
– Phaedra Boinodiris (IBM)
– Donald Brinkman (Microsoft)
– Ann DeMarle (Emergent Media
Center, Breakaway)
– John Ferrara (Fitter Critters,
Playful Design)
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5. What I’m Playing
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Innovation
Games’
Budget
Balancing
Superbetter

6. • Who has had your genome tested?

7. • If you could buy a kit at Walgreens for
$150 to have your genome tested, would
you?
• Why or why not?

8. Oops, sorry.
• Pathway Genomics had announced that its
saliva swab would be on Walgreen's shelves,
offering millions of Americans the chance peek
into their genetic code for signs of inheritable
diseases like Alzheimer's.
• The FDA blocked it, saying the kit has not been
proven effective.
• Today, to use Pathways, “ a physician will need
to register and order the report for you.”
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9. Direct to Consumer Testing (DTC)
• Is a big deal because
– Science and technology are advancing rapidly
– DTC testing is currently legal and available
– It’s controversial
– Legislative decisions may eliminate DTC

10. What’s your opinion?
• Individuals should be free to find out information
about their own genes to whatever extent they
wish, in accord with what they judge to be their
own best interests, uncoerced by law or public
policy. AGREE!
DISAGREE!
Genetic testing should only be
available when ordered by a doctor.

11. An informed citizenry
• Citizens, policy makers, and health care
professionals need to understand what
DTC testing does and does not tell us, to
make good decisions.

12. One piece of a larger strategy
Game
Game
Pre-
game
Post-
game
During
game
>

13. DNA Roulette
• 2 teams, 3 rounds each, high score at the
end wins $1.
• 3 collective exploratory rounds to help you
plan your strategies.
• Let’s see what you learn.

14. Game Demo and Competition
• note: DNA Roulette will be published to
the Understanding Genetics web site run
by the San Jose Tech Museum of
Innovation and Stanford University in
August, 2012. To play, go to:
• http://genetics.thetech.org/online-exhibits

15. Now that you’ve played, what have
you learned? Quick Quiz
• Having your DNA tested tells you exactly
what diseases you will develop.
– True
– False
• Most diseases and traits are caused by:
– A single genetic variant
– Multiple variants

16. Genes are Destiny
• MISCONCEPTION: “Genes determine
everything form your sex, and hair color, to
what diseases you many have and how
high you will grow.”
• CORRECT CONCEPTION: Genes are
not necessarily deterministic. More
frequently, environmental influences
coupled with genotype determine
phenotype.

17. One Gene, One Trait
• MISCONCEPTION: One gene is always
responsible for one trait or one gene with
one mutation always causes one disease.
• CORRECT CONCEPTION: Instead,
multiple factors contribute to phenotype.
Multiple genes often work together, with
the environment, to determine ultimate
phenotype. Essay Contest Reveals Misconceptions of High School Students in Genetics Content
Kenna R. Mills Shaw, Katie Van Horne, Hubert Zhang, Joann Boughman
Genetics. 2008 March; 178(3): 1157–1168. doi: 10.1534/genetics.107.084194
PMCID: PMC2278104
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18. Data the game is based on…
• These next slides will show the kinds of
data available on DTC genetics testing
sites. The screen shots are from
23andMe.com
• DNA Roulette pulls data from an XML file,
making it easy to add new traits and
disease conditions without changing the
game engine.

19. 118 Diseases

21. (I made a version that plays MY genes)

22. 44 Carrier Status

23. 19 Drug Responses

24. 55 Traits

25. Muscle Performance SNP
(single nucleotide polymorphism)

26. Alzheimer’s Type 2 Diabetes
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Scary (and rare):
single marker, large genetic
impact, no treatment or cure
Not so scary (and common):
11+ markers, moderate
genetic impact, treatable

27. Games for Health Games for Health Conference 2012

28. Thank you!
Professor Carrie Heeter
heeter@msu.edu
seriousgames.msu.edu
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