Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy / Undergraduate / High School Students

Programs for high school students

2010 SUMMER PROGRAM FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

The Center for Bioethics announces the 2010 High School Summer Program.

Exceptional high school students in grades 10, 11, and 12 are encouraged to apply for this opportunity.

This year's course offering is:

BIOE 210 920 - Chimeras and Frankenpets: Ethical Issues in Animal Biotechnology (download flyer)
The course meets Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:00am-12:30pm, July 6- August 13
Class meets at the University of Pennsylvania's Center for Bioethics, 3401 Market Street, Suite 320
Instructor: Dr. Autumn Fiester, PhD

Course Description:
The issue of human reproductive cloning has received a great deal attention in public discourse. Bioethicists, policymakers, and the media have been quick to identify the key ethical issues involved in human reproductive cloning and to argue, almost unanimously, for an international ban on such attempts. Meanwhile, scientists in labs across the globe have proceeded with extensive research agendas in the cloning and genetic modification of animals. What in 1997 was considered a remarkable feat -- cloning Dolly the sheep -- is today commonplace. To date, scientists have successfully cloned many other species including cats, rabbits, cows, mice, goats, pigs, mules, horses, and most recently, a dog. Scientists have also made extensive "progress" in transgenic science, in which genetic material from one species is introduced into a different species. This technique has long been used in rodents, but has in recent years been used to genetically alter rabbits, fish, pigs, and, most worrisome, non-human primates. Despite all of this scientific research, there has been very little reflection on the profound ethical issues raised by animal biotechnology. In this course, we will examine the ethical issues that arise in various projects in animal biotechnology including: xenotransplantation, biopharming, pet cloning, cloning for conservation, recreational transgenesis (like "Alba the bunny" or the Glofish), disease modeling, and agricultural cloning and transgenesis.

To apply, students must submit:

1. Completed application. (Click here to download application form)
2. Official (sealed) copy of all high school transcripts mailed to the address below.
3. One letter of recommendation, preferably from a teacher you have had in a major academic subject, or your high school counselor.
4. Non-refundable application fee of $70.00. Payable by check. (Make checks payable to the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania and mail to the address below.)

Mailing Address:

University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
Center for Bioethics
ATTN: Robin Hartley
3401 Market St., Suite 320
Philadelphia, PA 19104-3308

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD AN APPLICATION

 

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