Apologies for cross-posting
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS: "Genome editing: revolution or another incremental step in
the life sciences?" (S25, Life Sciences - Biotechnology)
Deadline for abstracts: 21 January 2019, Submission via
https://sts-conference.isds.tugraz.at/event/5/abstracts/
Presentation at the 18th Annual STS Conference Graz 2019, 6-7 May
(https://sts-conference.isds.tugraz.at/event/5/)
We would like to draw your attention to our session and our call for
abstracts. The session is co-organised by the Institute for Advanced Studies
(A. Lang, E. Griessler), Vienna and the TU Graz (A. Spk) and part of the
conference's track on Life Sciences - Biotechnology:
"In recent years, genome editing methods and especially CRISPR/Cas9 have been
increasingly used for targeted modification of genes in laboratories around
the world. Often described as a method more precise, faster, cheaper, and
easier to handle compared to genetic tools available so far, CRISPR/Cas9 has
been applied to alter genes of microorganisms, animals, plants, and human
cells or embryos. Other than genetic engineering procedures before, it can
make multiple genetic modifications at a time and without introducing foreign
genes. Certain modifications by genome editing cannot be identified. On the
one hand, CRISPR/Cas9 has been hailed as a game changer for basic genetic
research and applied biotechnology alike. On the other hand, concerns against
the use of genome editing for different purposes have been raised, similar to
concerns about gene engineering methods used so far. Recently, the European
Court of Justice classified organisms modified by genome editing in legal
terms as genetically modified organisms even if the modification could also
have emerged by traditional breeding or in nature.
This session deals with the question, if and in what particular way genome
editing is a radically new technology changing the way of how humans can
influence and control the genetic makeup of organisms (and of human itself).
Thereby, it does not solely focus on how these technologies compare to
previous approaches on a technical level. It is of interest, how genome
editing differs with regards to the goals, applications, wider societal
impacts and policy challenges of R&D in medicine, agriculture, and industrial
biotechnology. Another issue is the societal co-construction of this
technology and its application through different discourses: how is genome
editing - both, the process and its result - framed by different societal
actors.
The session is open for presentations or other inputs from different
disciplinary backgrounds dealing with genome editing in various areas
including but not limited to agriculture, medicine, or industry."
Best regards
Alexander Lang
Researcher
Techno-Science & Societal Transformation
[Logo IHS]
Institut fr Hhere Studien - Institute for Advanced Studies
Josefstdter Strasse 39, 1080 Vienna, Austria
Tel: +43 1 59991 170
Fax: +43 1 59991 191
E-Mail: lang@ihs.ac.at
Web: https://www.ihs.ac.at/people/alexander-lang
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