The Rise of the Biocrats

From stem-cell research to HPV vaccinations, healthcare policy to genetic modification, bioethics increasingly provides the framework for weighing the costs and benefits of scientific progress. Long a leader in the field, the University is moving to make Penn the place where such work happens, and where the next generation of bioethicists will be minted.

Promise and Politics

While the bioethical debate over stem-cell research rages on, Penn scientists are making progress using adult-human and animal stem cells—and hoping for broader future support for studies using embryonic stem cells.

Who’s Minding the Brain?

As our ability to peek inside the brain—and to alter it—expands, the field of neuroethics is beginning to emerge (with the help of a few Penn Scholars) to study the implication for society and the individual.

Lawsuit by Prison Inmates Dismissed

University states: “It is now understood and agreed throughout the global scientific community that prisoners … cannot be considered appropriate candidates for any biomedical studies.”

Where Human Life Happens

Genetic testing and other technologies that offer a "window on the womb" are allowing parents to know more about their prospective offspring than ever before. Is that good?