Genetics – A Fundamental Role for the Family Historian

When: 13 November 2026 - 10.00 am – 11.30 am

Where: Online

Limit: 25

Genetics – A Fundamental Role for the Family Historian

Presenter: Maj Gen Prof John Pearn AO RFD MD

For many, writing a family history is both a passion and a duty. Creating a family history is a priceless gift to give children, and other relatives. It is a gift for our children of future generations, yet unborn. Every parent passes 50% of his or her genes to every child. Statistically, this percentage is halved for each succeeding generation. This means that grandchildren and aunts and uncles have, on average, 25% of their genes in common. Each of us has two biological parents, four grandparents… and so on. We have 32 great-great-great grandparents and if any one of these did not exist, we would not be who we are. Many of us believe we have a duty to document at least some of their biographies, as our forebears. Each of us holds, in our memories, unique knowledge about family history — which if not documented or recorded, will be lost forever.

Medical genetics and genetic counselling have to do with such themes as the risk of passing on harmful genes, cousin marriages, and age effects of risk. Such involve moral and ethical issues as each of us holds personal medical information which is of significance to those with whom we share our genetic heritage