Hot Topics: Genetics
Blog Posts (18)
May 15, 2013
Emergent Dualism and the Sanctity of Human Life
My wife and I spent May 10-11 at the annual conference of Biola’s Center for Christian Thought (CCT), where the theme for 2012-2013 has been “Neuroscience and the Soul.” The plenary talks are not all on the web, yet, although some are on Facebo...May 6, 2013
“Donor Dad” or “Gene”? The Language of False Hopes and False Expectations
Nanette Elster, JD, MPH
With Mother’s Day rapidly approaching, I can’t help but reflect upon my own journey to motherhood, which began as a solo endeavor with an anonymous sperm donor due to an infertility diagnosis at 30. This time of year always makes me a bit reflective about what titles like mom and dad, mother and father actually mean. I often hear about “biological dads,” “real father,” etc., and this makes my head spin.…
May 3, 2013
Check out AJOB's newest publication 13(5)!
Editorial
Military Doctors and Deaths by Torture: When a Witness Becomes an Accessory
Steven H. Miles
Target Articles
April 17, 2013
DNA, Patents and the Supreme Court
Craig Klugman, PhD
In 1994, researchers at the University of Utah discovered that mutations in the genes BRCA1 and 2 correlated with higher rates of breast and ovarian cancer.…
April 1, 2013
On (Being) “Better than Human” — Part 2
I ended my last post by identifying what I take to be an important methodological issue with Allen Buchanan’s pro-enhancement argument in his recent (2011) book entitled Better than Human: The Promise and Perils of Enhancing Ourselves. I want pick up...March 30, 2013
Scientists unravel genetic causes of prostate, breast and ovarian cancer
[The Guardian] Research involving 1,000 scientists finds scores of genetic markers that identify people most likely to develop diseases A national screening programme for prostate cancer could be introduced by the NHS in the wake of a huge internatio...March 26, 2013
On (Being) “Better Than Human” — Part 1
Recent posts have called for reflection on the “ends” of medicine. Though not directly addressed to the specific questions raised in those posts, this series will touch on related themes and so will be relevant to that larger discussion. With that ...February 19, 2013
Can They Patent Your Genes?
[The New York Review of Books] Can genes be patented? This spring, the Supreme Court will hear a case that may well decide the question, and the consequences for American biomedicine could be huge. Over three years ago, in May 2009, the American Civil ...January 25, 2013
Whose DNA is it anyway?
Craig Klugman, Ph.D.
The 1000 Genomes Project has collected anonymous DNA samples from people all over the world. By looking at this massive data set, the project hopes to discover genetic components of diseases or traits.…
October 24, 2012
The October issue of AJOB is here!
This month’s issue includes a target article on whether or not to disclose research results from whole-exome sequencing to relatives of a family member who has died.…
Published Articles (35)
American Journal of Bioethics: Volume 13 Issue 5 - May 2013
The Right to Know Your Genetic Parents: From Open-Identity Gamete Donation to Routine Paternity Testing An Ravelingien & Guido Pennings
American Journal of Bioethics: Volume 13 Issue 2 - Feb 2013
Do Researchers Have an Obligation to Actively Look for Genetic Incidental Findings? Catherine Gliwa & Benjamin E. Berkman
American Journal of Bioethics: Volume 13 Issue 2 - Feb 2013
What To Do With the Could-Be-Knowns of Genomic Medicine Richard R. Sharp
American Journal of Bioethics: Volume 12 Issue 10 - Oct 2012
Review of Marion Danis, Emily Largent, David Wendler, Sara Chandros Hull, Seema Shah, Joseph Millum, Benjamin Berkman, and Christine Grady, Research Ethics Consultation: A Casebook Emily E. Anderson
American Journal of Bioethics: Volume 12 Issue 4 - Apr 2012
Swabbing Students: Should Universities Be Allowed to Facilitate Educational DNA Testing? Shawneequa L. Callier
American Journal of Bioethics: Volume 12 Issue 4 - Apr 2012
The Case for a Parental Duty to Use Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis for Medical Benefit Janet Malek & Judith Daar
American Journal of Bioethics: Volume 12 Issue 4 - Apr 2012
Duty-Free: The Non-Obligatory Nature of Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis Lauren C. Sayres & David Magnus
American Journal of Bioethics: Volume 11 Issue 12 - Dec 2011
William B. Hurlbut: Building a Bridge Over Troubled Stem Cell Waters Wesley J. Smith
American Journal of Bioethics: Volume 11 Issue 9 - Sep 2011
Assessing the Risk of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome in Egg Donation: Implications for Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research Brooke Ellison
American Journal of Bioethics: Volume 11 Issue 3 - Mar 2011
Review of Rebecca Skloot, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Tanfer Emin Tunc
Resources (191)
Center for Genetics and Society
Provides current news and commentary on human biotechnologies, patent information, federal and state policy, and a list of genetic technologies.
Council for Responsible Genetics
CRG is a non-profit organization based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
CRG distributes genetic information and represents the public interest on emerging issues in biotechnology. CRG publishes GeneWatch, a publication concerned with the social, ethical, and environmental implications of genetic technology.
Cloning Extinct Animals
Discusses possibilities for and implications of cloning extinct animals.
Cloning Animals
Australian government page on animal cloning.
Scientists Say Cloning Animals for Food has Uncertain Benefits, Many Drawbacks
from the Union of Concerned Scientists.
Friends of Animals
Article criticizing cloning animals for food.
YouTube: President Obama on Stem Cell Research
From the New York Times, a YouTube video of President Obama's March 2009 remarks on stem cell research. (11:25)
Cloning Fact Sheet
Discusses common questions about cloning and provides related links.
What are the Risks of Cloning?
The University of Utah Genetic Science Learning Center.
News (679)
May 20, 2013 2:07 pm
Your Genes, Your Choice?
Critics say the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics’ recent recommendations for reporting incidental clinical sequencing results undermine patient autonomy.
May 17, 2013 2:13 pm
Gene-Testing Dispute Focuses on How Much a Patient Should Know
Should patients undergoing broad DNA testing for a specific ailment be told of unexpected findings that signal risk of cancer or other serious diseases, even if they don’t request the information?
May 16, 2013 2:07 pm
Cloning, Stem Cells Long Mired In Legislative Gridlock
The news that U.S. scientists have successfully cloned a human embryo seems almost certain to rekindle a political fight that has raged, on and off, since the announcement of the creation of Dolly the sheep in 1997.
May 15, 2013 2:07 pm
Ethicist: Cloning offers more cause for excitement than concern
It has finally happened – the technique used in 1996 to make Dolly, the world’s first cloned mammal, has finally been used in 2013 to make theworld’s first cloned human embryo.
May 10, 2013 1:36 pm
Disruptions in Trash-Collecting Genes Fuel Disorder
Genetic mutations that halt a cell’s ability to scrap unnecessary proteins may cause a condition marked by ataxia, hypogonadotrophic hypogonadism, and dementia, researchers found.
May 10, 2013 1:35 pm
Genetics Reveal Europe Is One Big Family
From Ireland to Turkey, Europeans are all related, sharing a link with ancestors who were alive just 1,000 years ago, according to a new genetic study.
May 3, 2013 1:42 pm
Genomes provide clues for treating leukemia, endometrial cancers
Efforts to sequence the genomes of cancer cells — to pinpoint the changes that occur in cancer cells’ DNA when a person has the disease — are pointing to ways to target cancer treatment.
May 2, 2013 4:13 pm
Cancers Share Gene Patterns, Studies Affirm
Scientists have discovered that the most dangerous cancer of the uterine lining closely resembles the worst ovarian and breast cancers.
April 29, 2013 12:40 pm
Prenatal DNA Sequencing
Reading the DNA of fetuses is the next frontier of the genome revolution. Do you really want to know the genetic destiny of your unborn child?
April 19, 2013 2:13 pm
'Living fossil' coelacanth genome sequenced
Researchers sequenced the genome of the coelacanth: a deep-sea fish that closely resembles its ancestors, which lived at least 300 million years ago.
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