NEW BOOK

The Human Genome Project in College Curriculum

Ethical Issues and Practical Strategies

Aine Donovan and Ronald M. Green

Begun formally in 1990, the U.S. Human Genome Projuect's (HGP) goals were to identify all the 20,000 genes in human DNA, determine the sequences of the three billion chemical base pairs that make up human DNA< store this information in databases, improve tools for data analysis, and transfer related technologies to the private sector.  It was the first large scientific undertaking to address potential issues that arose from project data, and  opened up vast possibilities for the use of genetic data and the alteration of our genetic makeup.  This volume is the first to address the diverse range of ethical issues arising from the HGP, and enables professors to bring this critically important topic to life in the classroom.

Dartmouth College Press

June, 2008

Cloth, $50.00s

200 pp. 5 b&w illus.  6x9"

ISBN 13:978-1-58465-695-1

ISBN 10:1-58465-695-6

Ethics/Biology/Genetics

CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY

Deadline for ELSI 2008 conference abstracts approaches!

Abstracts due November 30, 2007

"Translating ELSI: Global Perspectives on the Ethical, Legal and Social Implications of Human Genome Research."

May 1-3, Cleveland, Ohio

On May 1, 2, and 3, 2008, the Center for Genetic Research Ethics and Law at Case Western Reserve University with support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will host "Translating Ethical, Legal and Social Implications". Seven years ago, the NIH National Human Genome Research Institute hosted a national conference on the subject, but this meeting will be the first international congress for ELSI researchers. The theme centers on the challenge of "translating" ELSI research, both across cultures and disciplines, and into practical recommendations for scientists and policy-makers. We hope that you will join us! Check out www.case.edu/med/bioethics/cgreal/elsi/ for all the details and to sign up for conference updates.


This three day meeting will include a combination of plenary and concurrent panel presentations and a poster session on the ethical, legal or social implications of a broad range of advances in human genetics and genomic research. Abstracts may be submitted for plenary presentations, individual panel presentations, group panel presentations or posters. Potential presenters should submit a 500-word abstract outlining their research and/or panel topic with possible panelists (NOTE: abstracts submitted for panel presentations should include shorter, 250 word abstracts for each individual panelist's presentation in addition to the 500 word panel abstract. Also, panels should be designed to facilitate cross-talk between institutions and should ideally include representatives from multiple institutions).

Presenters selected from the abstract submissions will share a 90-minute session with two or three other presenters in a similar area of research, so presentations should not exceed 15 minutes.


Guidance for submission of abstracts

Submitted abstracts should include:

1. The research question or policy issue your presentation will address.

2. The kind of evidence or argument your study or analysis involves (e.g., survey data, policy document review, interviews and focus groups, historical archive research, textual critique and response, randomized clinical trial, expert dialogue, etc).

3. The names and contact information for those you propose to involve in your presentation.

4. Specific to panel topics, submissions should include information on the topic, number of presenters and names/titles of presenters and brief (250 word) descriptions of each presentation. .


Abstracts may be submitted online or by email.


Online Abstract Submission:

http://www.easychair.org/ELSI2008/

The Easy Chair system allows you to submit abstracts online. You will be required to create an account if you do not already have one. Please enter the abstract title, abstract (500 word limit), author information (including name, affiliation, address, phone number and email), and at least two key words.

Email Abstract Submission:

Please email the abstract title, abstract (500 word limit), author information (including name, affiliation, address, phone number and email), and at least two key words to: deborah.hawkins@case.edu


For more information, please contact Deborah Hawkins at: deborah.hawkins@case.edu

ELSI Reunion/Conference 2006

The Dartmouth program for ELSI education hosted a reunion conference for all ELSI participants on August 11-13, 2006.

A call for papers was issued for any/all topics relating to the ethical, legal and social implications of the human genome project on the college curriculum.  Abstracts were submitted to  Aine Donovan, Executive Director of the Ethics Institute, for consideration.

ELSI Summer Faculty Institute

In September of 1996, the Ethics Institute received a 3-year, $285,759 (Direct Costs) grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop and teach an undergraduate multidisciplinary course on the ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI) of the human genome research. The new course was the centerpiece for the second component of the grant: an independent Faculty Summer Institute. This program was geared towards multidisciplinary faculty from liberal arts colleges and universities with an interest in learning how to effectively teach an ELSI course at their home institutions.

The first year was spent developing the undergraduate course and advertising, recruiting, and selecting the participants for the Summer Institute. The course and Faculty Institute were offered during the summers of 1997 and 1998.

A competitive continuation grant to train teachers at liberal arts colleges to teach the ELSI of genetic research was awarded by the National Institutes of Health in December of 1999. This $473,000 (direct costs) three-year project officially began in January 1,2000. The first intensive 2-week ELSI Summer Faculty Institute was held during the summer of 2000, and again in the summers of 2001 and 2002.

Final Program Session - 2005

• Supporting materials for the 2005 program now available. Please check back as we will add more materials as they are made available.

June 12 - 17 @ Howard University
July 24 - 29 @ Dartmouth College
July 31 - August 5 @ Dartmouth College

• Learn more about the 2005 Program

Past Programs

• 2004 ELSI Summer Faculty Institute
• 2003 ELSI Summer Faculty Institute
• 2002 ELSI Faculty Summer Institute
• 2001 ELSI Faculty Summer Institute
• 2000 ELSI Faculty Summer Institute