1. History and Ethics of Biotechnology HSCI E137 Course website: http://isites.harvard.edu/k78554

2. Agenda for Jan 26 The challenge of defining biotechnology Its areas of application: agriculture and medicine What ethical issues does biotech raise? Syllabus and course requirements In class reading: “The Birthmark”

3. Areas of application-- agriculture Herbicide-resistant and pesticide-containing crops Golden Rice (to remedy Vitamin A deficiency) Corn genetically modified for ethanol production

4. Hybrid ethanol corn from DuPont (not genetically modified)

5. Areas of application-- agriculture Herbicide-resistant and pesticide-containing crops Golden Rice Corn genetically modified for ethanol production  Transgenic trees-- low in lignin content

6. Low lignin poplars (NY Times) Eucalyptus trees genetically modified for low lignin content as well as higher-than- normal carbon dioxide absorptive capacity, Developed by Taiwan National Sci Council and NCSU (Biopact website)

7. Areas of application-- agriculture Herbicide-resistant and pesticide-containing crops Golden Rice Corn genetically modified for ethanol production Transgenic trees  Pharma-crops  Food from cloned animals

8. The calf Priscilla was cloned by ViaGen from a slab of beef. Thomas Terry, Associated Press

9. Areas of application--medicine Gene therapy Therapeutic cloning-- regenerative medicine

10. Aug 2010: Following FDA approval (and a year’s delay), Geron runs first clinical trial of a therapy for people with severe spinal cord injury, using human embryonic stem cells NY Times diagram

11. Areas of application--medicine Gene therapy Therapeutic cloning-- regenerative medicine  Genetic testing; pharmacogenomics

12. Some of the ethical issues: The biotech industry and its subjects –Biobanks –Use of indigenous knowledge –Genetically modified crops

13. Supai, Arizona: home of Havasupai Tribe photo credit: fostertribe.org

14. Farmers in Girona, Spain, burned their corn harvest after learning that it contained genetically modified plants. (Greenpeace photo)

15. Ethical issues, continued: Genes as intellectual property Controlling genetically modified organisms Screening/testing outpacing treatment Treatment vs. enhancement Playing God http://video.nytimes.com/video/2006/09/01/science/1 194817115689/embryo-screening.html (the Kingsbury case, narrated by Amy Harmon)

16. HSCI E137 course website http://isites.harvard.edu/k78554