Forum: Genetic Research

Friday, December 4, at 7:00 PM

DIFFERENT DAY – NOTE IT!

Free! Free! Free!

One of the most profound and controversial areas of scientific research ever undertaken is in the area of genetic research. Where scientists are beginning to unravel some of the most basic mysteries of life. Some people accuse these genetic scientists of attempting to "play God" because of the profound consequences that could result from their research.

On the positive side; early detection of the predisposition to various diseases, powerful new pharmaceuticals, amazing gene therapy "cures", new and improved foods, and a deeper more fundamental understanding of how our bodies work, are some of the hoped for blessings of genetic research. On the negative side; the possibility of human cloning, genetically engineered deadly viruses, stigmatization due to "inferior" genes, and pre-natal testing of fetuses, are examples of issues that frighten many thoughtful people. Society will have to grapple with thorny moral, ethical, legal, and social issues as a result of genetic research.

Particular emphasis will be placed at this Forum in examining the "Human Genome Project", an ongoing 15 year cooperative scientific effort to map all the 80,000 genes and the sequences of the 3 billion chemical bases that make up the human DNA. Not only will the potential scientific ramifications of this effort be explored, but the potential social and personal ramifications as well.

Our speaker for this Forum is Willem Vermaas, Ph.D., Professor of Plant Biology at ASU. Professor Vermaas teaches genetic engineering classes at ASU, and conducts fundamental genetic research at his ASU labs. He has promised to make his presentation accessible to everybody, and he has expressed willingness to address the questions and concerns of those in attendance. So, it should be a very interesting and stimulating Forum. Please plan to attend.

To get to AutoNation, take the Ray Road exit off I-10 East, turn left over the freeway on Ray, then turn left at the first road (Weber), go one block and turn left on Orchard. The Post-Forum discussion will be at Keegans only a few blocks away.

Questions?: Call Jerry Corbin at 438-0958.