Ringveranstaltung: Teil 1

An extremely important scientific revolution is taking place with the discovery and development of a gene-editing technology termed CRISPR-Cas9. With this tool, the genomes of various organisms can now be edited with unprecedented specificity and simplicity of use. This opens many possibilities for basic research. It also enables the development of numerous applications in biomedicine, agriculture, in addition to offering novel ways of tackling environmental challenges. The potential implications for the further evolution of species, including our own, as well as for our relationship to nature are profound. Thus, the ongoing scientific revolution opens up questions of safety and ethical responsibility, invokes issues of ownership and social justice, and raises the question of how we can collectively steer research practices towards desirable futures. We believe that decisions on when, where and for what purpose this technology will be applied are also political, not least in terms of their consequences. Thus, directing this discovery towards responsible applications and desirable futures, cannot be left to the sole responsibility of scientists, experts and the industry. This event (which is part of a larger symposium) aims to discuss the potential impact and challenges while exploring the scientific, ethical, and societal issues inherent in genome-editing research.

Speaker:
Sheila Jasanoff (Pforzheimer Professor of Science and Technology Studies, Harvard Kennedy School)
Stuart Newman (Professor of Cell Biology and Anatomy, New York Medical College)

This evening event is organized in cooperation with the Research Plattform Responsible Research and Innovation in Academic Practice/University of Vienna and is part of the International Symposium „Editing genomes with CRISPR“. Further information on the International Symposium: https://rri.univie.ac.at/aktivitaeten/workshopconferences/crispr-symposium/. To register for the Symposium please email crispr@univie.ac.at by October the 8th, 2017.