Dialogue on Human Genome Editing

Workshop Description

In October 2020, the discovery of the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing tool was honoured with the Nobel prize. In its press release, the Nobel committee not only praises its revolutionary impact in basic life sciences, but also its potential to "make the dream of curing inherited diseases come true".

While the first clinical trials on CRISPR therapies are underway, the application of this technology in humans, an in particularly in the human germline, also raises important scientific, ethical, social and legal questions.

At this interactive 90 min session we invite you to explore together with our experts the different facets of human genome editing and to jointly identify and start to discuss questions such as:

  • Should we refrain from touching the human germline or are there cases where germline editing would be justified? 
  • Should genome editing only be used for therapeutic purposes or also for enhancement of physical or mental traits?
  • Should germline editing be allowed for basic research in Switzerland (as it is the case in the UK)? 
  • Who should decide in which cases human genome editing is allowed?
  • Could a case like the Chinese CRISPR babies happen in Switzerland?

Join us to learn more about the very timely topic of human genome editing and to share your perspective with the Swiss life science community.

Preliminary program:

  • Welcome and introduction (10 min)
  • Input talk by Jacob Corn: Current status of human genome editing research (10 min)
  • Q&A and Live polling on acceptability and impact of human genome editing (25 min)
  • Input talk by Hervé Chneiweiss: Principles for governing human genome editing (10 min)
  • Q&A and Live polling on governance and responsible research (25 min)
  • Conclusions (10 min)

Scientific contributors:
- Jacob Corn, ETH Zurich
- Hervé Chneiweiss, Ecole des Neurosciences, Paris Ile de France / WHO Expert Advisory Committee on Developing Global Standards for Governance and Oversight of Human Genome Editing 
Host:
- Greta Guarda, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB), Università della Svizzera italiana / Forum for Genetic Research, SCNAT
Moderator:
- Anna-Katherina Ehlert, reatch
Organization:
- Forum for Genetic Research, Swiss Academy of Sciences

Organizers, Hosts, Contributors and Panelists

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Dr. Greta Guarda - Università della Svizzera italiana
Prof. Hervé Chneiweiss - Ecole des Neurosciences, Paris Ile de France
Prof. Jacob Corn - ETH Zürich
Anna-Katherina Ehlert - reatch
Prof. Bernard Baertschi - University of Geneva
Prof. Martine Jotterand - former Univeristy of Lausanne / SCNAT, Forum for Genetic Research
Dr. Michaël Bachmann - University of Geneva, post-doctoral researcher
Dr. Franziska Oeschger - SCNAT, head of Forum for Genetic Research
Dr. Sandro Käser - SCNAT, scientific officer at Forum for Genetic Research