Cutting-edge research almost always carries with it profound and difficult ethical questions. Researchers at WID are engaged in conversations about ethics, from the ethics of research methods in general to the ethics of specific research areas, including gene editing, stem cell research, clinical uses of virtual reality, and more.
The Wisconsin State Journal, as part of its feature highlighting stem cell research at UW 20 years after James Thomson’s discovery, highlights WID researchers Randolph Ashton and Kris Saha.
The Washington Post writes about the harsh realities faced by women and minorities in science presented by WID Director Jo Handelsman at the Society for Neuroscience conference in Washington, D.C.
Develop techniques to better the experience of virtual reality through new devices, interfaces, and techniques.
By bringing together stem cell biology, genome engineering, and biomaterials expertise, the Saha lab generates new tools for use with human-induced pluripotent stem cells to ask unique questions about human biology and disease.
WID researchers improve the dialogue between scientists and the public about science and engineering and facilitate discourse about the role of science in society, and the image of scientists.
Assistant Professor, Discovery Dialogue Hub Leader
Use virtual reality to simulate the experience of real-life spaces for real-world outcomes.
Assistant Professor
Human cell engineering including CRISPR gene editing and epigenetic reprogramming; science & society
The Living Environments Laboratory will host the Ethics in Investigational & Interventional Uses of Virtual Reality (e3iVR) conference beginning with public talks on the afternoon of April 26. More information and registration are at go.wisc.edu/e3iVR.
Assistant Professor and BIONATES theme PI Krishanu Saha along with J. Benjamin Hurlbut, Assistant Professor, Human Dimensions at Arizona State University and Sheila Jasanoff, Professor of Science and Technology at Harvard University co-authored a recent article for Issues in Science and Technology making the case for how far scientists should go in researching and applying CRISPR to editing the human germline.
Krishanu Saha, principal investigator in BIONATES, along with Sheila Jasanoff of the Harvard Kennedy School and J. Benjamin Hurlbut from Arizona State University weigh in on moratoriums for germline gene engineering for this Guardian op-ed piece.
How can researchers extract useful information from patient data to develop life-saving treatments while making sure records stay private and protected? A WID collaboration looks for an answer.
Distinguished Scholar Anthony Gray believes ethics are to be learned and practiced like other skill sets. Learn what’s in Gray’s professional toolkit and how curiosity drives his work in our monthly Q&A series.
What are your tools for discovery? BIONATES researcher Kris Saha’s tools focus on personal communication, examining problems from multiple vantage points and — dare we say — a penchant for procrastination.
Creating energy solutions for communities throughout the world poses serious challenges, but a group of WID Frontier Fellows thinks its alternative idea has a bright future.
