NHGRI releases new and improved Talking Glossary of Genomic and Genetic Terms – National Human Genome Research Institute

On National DNA Day (April 25) this year, NHGRI released a fully revamped version of its popular talking glossary, which included a new name: the Talking Glossary of Genomic and Genetic Terms. First launched in 1998, the talking glossary is one of the most visited sites on genome.gov. Some of the talking glossarys terms receive over 70,000 views per month. This resource is filled with definitions, audio recordings, and illustrations for hundreds of terms. It is one of the premier educational resources offered by NHGRI, and it aims to help users better understand the basics of genomics and genetics.

While reformatted and expanded a few times over the years, the glossarys content had not been comprehensively updated and refined since its creation. The talking glossary targets students, educators, policymakers, healthcare professionals, and the public. Users of the glossary can obtain concise, up-to-date, and accurate definitions, which are presented in a clear, accessible language and a user-friendly format. Terms are defined in both written and oral formats, including a Spanish translation.

To date, the new Talking Glossary of Genomic and Genetic Terms has 222 terms, of which 142 have new accompanying illustrations and 15 have new associated animations. The new color illustrations strive to be clear and concise in a fashion that best conveys the term. Animations are included when it helps the understanding of the term. All of the animations and graphics are readily downloadable for use in other contexts.

The redesigned layout of the talking glossary on genome.gov is based on analytical data and user experience, with the aim of improving performance and reducing user navigation steps. In addition to the ability to browse terms, there is a quick search feature. To help the user better engage with the content, related terms are suggested with each term, and popular terms are featured prominently throughout the resource. The new layout is also designed for cross-browser and cross-device usage.

This new and improved educational resource now features higher sound quality audio recordings from 37 NHGRI experts who served as narrators. In addition to providing the pronunciation and definition of each term, the narrator in each case provides a personal commentary (or riff) about the term. As expected, the glossary now contains more modern terms that represent recent advances in genomics. In addition, there are several relevant terms related to social science. In developing the updated talking glossary, an effort was made to eliminate stigmatizing language from any of the definitions.

Because the talking glossary is one of the most popular educational resources on genome.gov, NHGRI is committed to keeping it current. Additional terms, illustrations, and animations will be added in the coming months.

The NHGRI Talking Glossary of Genomic and Genetic Terms is only one of a collection of remote-learning resources to help make genomics and genetics more accessible and understandable to a wide array of audiences. For additional materials, see all of NHGRIs educational resources.

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NHGRI releases new and improved Talking Glossary of Genomic and Genetic Terms - National Human Genome Research Institute