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18 November 2016, Cripps Court, Magdalene College, Cambridge
The Philomathia Social Sciences Research Programme brings together the sciences and the social sciences in order to inform policy debate. The Centre for Science and Policy is collaborating with the Philomathia programme on a symposium and policy roundtable on ‘Body Politics’ which takes place on 18 November 2016.
Overview
Society is facing major challenges as advances in bio-medical technologies pose fundamental philosophical, ethical, legal and political questions. Who directs investment in the search for new technologies, and who has ownership and control of them? How are they regulated, and how are decisions about their use formulated?
This Symposium brings together social scientists with scientists in order to engage with major issues of policy. Should the law allow patenting of DNA or not? What are the implications of intervention to rectify ‘errors’ in DNA? What are the implications of a shift to individualised treatment based on analysis of the patient’s DNA?
These questions intersect with intervention in reproduction, both to assist infertile couples to have children, and to deal with genetic disease. What are the limits of intervention, and who should make the decisions? And how should the shortage of organs for transplant be overcome? Should there be a presumption that organs are donated unless an individual opts out? How should surgeons balance the risk of using suboptimal organs against the risk of death?
The Symposium will address three themes – the law of DNA patents, family planning, and sub-optimal organ transplants – and conclude with a policy roundtable and a plenary lecture. The University of Cambridge has been at the forefront of development in bio-medical science in all of these areas, and this Symposium aims to enter into dialogue with social scientists and to reflect on the implications for policy.
We will have three panels under the following headings followed by a policy roundtable and keynote lecture:
Should we change EU law to disallow DNA patents? Contributors include Dr John Bradley, Professor Timo Minssen and Professor Mateo Aboy
Family planning in the era of changing fertility: Contributors include Professor Sarah Franklin and Sarah Norcross
The need for the transplantation of suboptimal organs: Contributors include Dr Kourosh Saeb-Parsy and Dr Matthew Dyson
Policy roundtable: Contributors include Sir Roy Calne, Professor Michael Parker and Sally Cheshire.
Keynote speaker: Professor Sheila Jasanoff, Pforzheimer Professor of Science and Technology Studies, Harvard University
Each chaired session will consist of three 10-15 minute talks followed by a panel discussion which will then be opened up to the floor.
Registration
Booking is free, but essential.
Registration can be made here no later than Friday, 2 September. Please do register even if you’re only able to attend part of the day. The policy roundtable takes place from 3.45pm to 5pm and is followed by the keynote lecture by Professor Sheila Jasanoff.
For more information, contact: Dr Kristen Klebba via philomathia@admin.cam.ac.uk