Smart writer picks up prize for genetics tale

Published on Thursday 9 July 2009 09:52

A CITY writer has been named as the winner of the UK's only short story competition inspired by genetics.

Ben Smart, has taken top prize in the ESRC Genomics Forum, based at the University of Edinburgh.

Mr Smart's previously unpublished story, called The Test, about an artist who paints very detailed close-up portraits of his father who has died of a genetic illness, won him 500.

His work will be published on www.genomicsnetwork.ac.uk and in a special printed collection to be launched in August at the Edinburgh International Book Festival.

Entrants were encouraged to consider how, and if, we understand the impact of genetic information on our everyday lives.

One of the judges, crime writer Lin Anderson, said: "This is a very exciting competition.

"I was very interested to read the wide variety of responses to the challenge and to note that on the whole, writers concentrated on the perceived negative impact of the science."