Back
| Semester | fall semester 2023 |
| Course frequency | Once only |
| Lecturers | Andrea Martani (andrea.martani@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | Genome editing has sparked the most heated debates in the last few years. Indeed, recent technical advances (in particular the development of CRISPR/Cas9) now permit to edit the DNA of living beings much more easily and efficiently than in the past. However, whether and how to pursue further research and practical applications of Genome Editing is riddled with empirical, ethical, legal and societal questions. On the one hand, many see the potential that this technology may have in medical (e.g. somatic gene therapy, genetic modifications of embryos) and public health field (e.g. development of more resistant and nutritious plants). On the other hand, modifying the genome – and especially inheritable germline modification on the human DNA – is also heavily contested. This course will explore these issues from an interdisciplinary perspective, highlighting, in particular, why many nations are now struggling to decide how to modify their regulatory and policy frameworks on Genome Editing. There will be national and international guest-speakers discussing some of the socio-ethical, legal, and empirical issues, with a predominant focus on Human Germline Genome Editing. |
| Learning objectives | Students will be able to understand why it is so difficult to find an appropriate regulatory framework for Genome Editing. They will have an overview on the current regulation in Switzerland and other countries, and the reasons why some states are considering to amend their laws. They will then learn some of the ethical questions that modifying the human genome (with the alleged objective of eliminating heritable diseases) raises. They will then learn why public involvement in deciding how to regulate such topics is both needed and difficult to organise. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| Block | See individual dates | ||
| Comments | 6.-7. November, from 10:00 to 17:00 6. November: Kollegienhaus Regenzzimmer 111 7. November Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 212 |
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Monday 06.11.2023 | 10.00-17.00 | Kollegienhaus, Regenzzimmer 111 |
| Tuesday 07.11.2023 | 10.00-17.00 | Kollegienhaus, Seminarraum 212 |
| Modules |
Aufbaumodul (Teil D) (Transfakultäre Querschnittsprogramme im freien Kreditpunkte-Bereich) Basismodul (Teil B) (Transfakultäre Querschnittsprogramme im freien Kreditpunkte-Bereich) Doctorate Biomedical Ethics: Recommendations (PhD subject: Biomedical Ethics) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | Attending the whole seminar, reading course materials, and completing one course assignment. The basic option for the course assignment is to write a short essay on the topic of Genome Editing and one of its ethical, legal or social implications. Alternative options (e.g. short presentations, creative output) will be communicated to the course participants upon interest. |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration; dereg.: teaching staff |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | Pass / Fail |
| Repeated registration | no repetition |
| Responsible faculty | Faculty of Medicine |
| Offered by | Institut für Bio- und Medizinethik |