The ethical controversy over the origins of stem cells used in research will be the topic of a forum hosted by the College on Saturday.
Stem cells -- which are the young cells that have the potential to develop into specialized body tissue, such as blood, heart, muscle and nerve cells -- may be obtained from frozen embryos and aborted fetuses.
The symposium entitled "Student Science Court: The Future of Stem Cell Research," features two panels. The first will look in depth at the research and the second will focus on the ethical issues involved.
Following the panels, the issue will be put to student vote.
The issue is particularly timely because the House of Representatives is scheduled to debate the federal funding of stem cell research in the coming months.
Results of the student vote will be submitted to the National Institute of Health, a government agency which has put forth an initiative restricting stem cell research rather than banning its funding.
The NIH guidelines stipulate that government-funded researchers would be allowed to purchase stem cells from private laboratories, but would be prohibited from deriving the cells themselves.
The NIH is currently accepting public comments on its initiative and will continue to do so until January 31.
"Stem cell technology has the promise to be the first great medical breakthrough of the twentieth century," Dartmouth Medical School Professor Dr. Lee A. Witters said.
The symposium will be conducted in two parts, the first discussing the science behind stem cell research and the second addressing the controversial ethical issues surrounding the research.
The forum will begin with an introduction and overview of stem cell research, followed by a more comprehensive explanation of the science of the research by a panel of experts.
Later on during the symposium, the legal and ethical implications of stem cell research will be discussed by a second panel.
The sources of the cells is part of the debate surrounding the research, according to ethics and religion professor Ronald M. Green.
Many pro-life advocates and religious leaders object to these studies. Among them is Richard M. Doerflinger, secretariat for Pro-Life Activities for the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, who will serve on the panel discussing the ethics of stem cell research.
Religious leaders such as Doerflinger question the moral implications of doing research that begins with abortion or the destruction of living human embryos, Green said.
Also speaking at the event is U.S. Representative Jay Dickey, of Arkansas, who will discuss the role of Congress in this field. The debate in Congress will focus on a bill, backed by Dickey, banning federal funding of stem cell research.
The symposium will conclude with students voting on various questions regarding the issue.
According to Witters, disease is the result of dysfunctional cells. Stem cell technology could, theoretically, cure diseases such as type I diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's diseases by creating new, functional cells to replace the poorly performing ones.
The idea for such a symposium gathering student involvement in national scientific issues is the work of Green and Witters. Witters said the forum is an opportunity to promote interdisciplinary education at the College, bringing together the fields of science and ethics.
The symposium will take place in Cook auditorium and run all day, beginning at 9 a.m.
