Identify and explain (in a paragraph) the most surprising bit of information you learned.
The most surprising bit of information I learned in the Population Genetics interview was that risk factors for certain diseases and epidemiological disorders can vary widely, and aren't always just genetic. For example, the biggest risk factor for endometrial cancer is obesity, which is a factor that I never really would've considered in the development of a cancer diagnosis. Often, when I hear about risk factors for different types of cancer, the main culprits are genetics -- either mutations, or just hereditary predisposition, so finding out about this was very interesting. The idea of risk factors as presented by this video seems very complex, because risk factors aren't just genetic but they're also environmental, but sometimes, genes and environment can interact inextricably to contribute significantly to the risk of getting some disease. For example, going back to the concept of obesity as a risk factor for endometrial cancer, BMI and weight gain/loss are often linked to genetics; it may be easier for some people to gain or lose weight because of their genes. In these cases, there's an interplay between genes and the environment to contribute to certain risk factors. Overall, I found this discussion, and specifically the endometrial cancer discussion, very interesting.
Image from: Virolainen, S.J., VonHandorf, A., Viel, K.C.M.F. et al. Gene–environment interactions and their impact on human health. Genes Immun 24, 1–11 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41435-022-00192-6
Here is a link to an article that discusses the interaction between genetics and the environment and their cumulative impact on health.
Here is the link to the original video