Alta Charo
Should we fear gene editing?
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About Alta Charo
A professor of law and bioethics at the University of Wisconsin, Alta Charo is an internationally renowned leader in the fields of bioethics, biotechnology, and reproductive healthcare. In 2016, as a member of the National Academies' Human Gene Editing Initiative, Alta co-chaired a multidisciplinary committee of experts examining gene-editing technologies and their clinical, ethical, legal and social implications. Between 2009-2011, Alta served on President Obama’s transition team as an advisor to the Department of Health and Human Services, and then as a senior policy advisor at the Food and Drug Administration. In addition to serving on several advisory boards relating to stem cell research, she has authored or contributed to over 100 articles, book chapters and government reports on law and policy. Alta was elected as a fellow of the National Academy of Medicine in 2006.
Find out moreAbout This Talk
Alta Charo is a Bioethicist and Professor of Law and Bioethics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and she is committed to helping society to strike the right ethical balance when it comes to scientific advances in health and medicine. Through her work, Alta shines a spotlight on the intersection between the life-saving benefits of new technologies and the unsettling sense of the unknown that they often bring.
Today, much of Alta's work focuses on the considerable public concern that surrounds the topic of gene editing. Will we abuse the choices facilitated by new genetic technologies? Will we become obsessed with creating genetic perfection and forget what it means to be human? Tune in to Alta's 2017 TEDMED Talk to gain insight into the history of genetic advancements and her nuanced views on the topic of genetic modification.
Today, much of Alta's work focuses on the considerable public concern that surrounds the topic of gene editing. Will we abuse the choices facilitated by new genetic technologies? Will we become obsessed with creating genetic perfection and forget what it means to be human? Tune in to Alta's 2017 TEDMED Talk to gain insight into the history of genetic advancements and her nuanced views on the topic of genetic modification.