The Bioethics Observatory of the Catholic University of Valencia (UCV) invites an in-depth analysis of genetic research at the conference “Genetic research: possibilities and risks. An approach from bioethics”. This event, which will take place on July 4, 2024, at the UCV San Juan y San Vicente headquarters (18 Jorge Juan Street), will bring together experts from various fields to explore the ethical implications of scientific advances in this area.
In-person attendance at the congress requires prior registration, but the possibility of following it online will also be offered through the following link: https://youtube.com/live/.
The advancement of genetic research constitutes one of the spearheads of biomedical sciences and opens up enormous application possibilities in the fields of bioengineering, editing, and gene therapies. In parallel, with the development of these new tools, new bioethical dilemmas arise related to their fields of application, their safety and effectiveness, and regulation and control needs that urgently need to be addressed.
In our congress we propose a scientific approach to the current state of genetic research, analyzing the most recent evidence, such as that related to epigenetic processes, the therapeutic applications of the editing processes and obtaining mini human organs through bioengineering procedures, the aspects’ ethics of the heritability of potential changes and the need for ethical and legal regulation of related practices.
A prestigious team of expert researchers in each of these areas will provide us with updated access to this evidence that allows its bioethical assessment based on scientific rigor.
It is aimed at researchers, teachers, students and anyone with an interest in the field of Bioethics, and especially in genetics.
PROGRAM
10:00. Institutional inauguration
10:15. Round Table: Epigenetics and genome editing: A scientific update
Ethics and epigenetics.
Luis Franco. Full member of the Royal Academy of Sciences of Spain and the Royal Academy of Medicine of the Valencian Community. University of Valencia.
10:45. Genome editing. Therapeutic advances and bioethical uncertainties.
Nicolas Jouve. Emeritus Professor of Genetics, former member of the Bioethics Committee of Spain.
11:15. Colloquium
Moderator: Lucía Gómez Tatay. Professor of cell biology, biochemistry and bioethics. Catholic University of Valencia.
11:30. Coffee Break
12:00. Round Table: Bioengineering and gene therapy
Deciphering the potential of human mini-organs in the laboratory through ethics and bioengineering.
Núria Montserrat. ICREA research professor and principal researcher at the Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC).
12:30. Advances in the therapeutic application of gene editing systems based on CRISPR. Juan Roberto Rodríguez-Madoz. Researcher of the Hemato-Oncology Program. TOP. University of Navarra.
13:00. Colloquium.
Moderator: José Miguel Hernández Andreu. Professor and researcher of biochemistry and molecular biology. Catholic University of Valencia.
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16:15. Round Table: Ethical limits in genetic manipulation
Heritable gene editing in humans and future generations.
Vicente Bellver. Professor of Philosophy of Law at the University of Valencia. President of the Bioethics Committee of the Valencian Community.
16:45. Regulating gene editing: principles versus rules.
Federico de Montalvo. Vice Chancellor of Institutional Relations and Secretary General of the Universidad Pontificia Comillas.
17:15. Gene editing: what should really scare us?
Íñigo De Miguel. Research Group of the Chair of Law and Human Genome of the Department of Public Law. University of the Basque Country – Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea.
17:45. Colloquium
Moderator: María José Salar. Coordinator of the Philosophy Degree. Professor at the Faculty of Economic and Social Legal Sciences of the Catholic University of Valencia.
18:00. Closure. Mr. Julio Tudela. Director of the Bioethics Observatory of the Catholic University of Valencia.
