In 1994, Religion Professor Ronald Green first considered creating a course focused on the Human Genome Project. After three years of planning, College Course 25: The Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications of the Human Genome Project is being offered this summer through a grant from the National Institute of Health, and is a model for colleges around the country to offer similar courses.
The course, which has an enrollment of about 70 students, is co-taught by Green, visiting professor from the Franklin Pierce Law Center Albert Scherr, and Dartmouth Medical School Associate Professor of Microbiology David Bzik.
The Faculty Institute
Annette Gaynes '99 said, "It's definitely one of the best classes I've taken. I didn't expect to be taking a class at Dartmouth that is a model for schools all over the country and funded by the NIH. I didn't realize that when I signed up."
Fifteen guests, including 14 professors from small institutions across the country and one research scientist from a university in Germany, take part in the class.
The visitors observe classes and participate in three hour seminars on Wednesday afternoons. The seminars give them the opportunity to meet guest lecturers and discuss topics with their peers. In addition, they can offer suggestions to improve the class.
Gaynes said the visiting professors generally sit in the back and do not participate except as discussion group leaders.
Professor Green said there is a reason for the visitors' silence.
"We laid down the law. They are not to participate. We recognize the fact that faculty would dominate," he said.
While in Hanover, the visiting faculty members also work on their own research projects in their free time, Green said. He said they have a chance to enjoy "the sheer beauty of summer at Dartmouth."
When the visitors return to their universities, they will take with them videos of the guest lecturers, the text books and reader used for the class and a deeper understanding of both the Human Genome Project and the process of multidisciplinary teaching.
He said one-third of the visitors are biologists, one-third are philosophers or ethicists and one-third cover other subjects areas such as English and math. Most come in pairs from institutions including South Western University, Louisiana Technical University, Southern Oregon State University, Drury College, Laros College and Hesser College.
What is the Human Genome Project?
Green described the Human Genome Project as a "worldwide effort to identify 3 billion letters that make up the complete DNA sequence."
He said the goal of this mapping is to "improve diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities." By comparing healthy DNA to mutant DNA, scientists can locate the mutation and possibly repair it with gene therapy.
Researchers are currently entering the final sequencing phase of mapping, he said.
"First they placed markers every 100,000 nucleotides. Then they made libraries of overlapping DNA. Machines work night and day," Green said.
Green said a large part of the research project is actually developing new technology to aid scientists. With current techniques, if researchers could map 1,000 nucleotides a day, it would take 10 years to finish the project.
Since 1990, Green said three percent of the Human Genome Project's budget, or $3 to $5 million each year, is allocated to the Ethical, Legal and Social Implications fund. Part of this money is spent on education.
College Course 25 is the first undergraduate course funded by ELSI.
"I would love to teach the course perpetually. I'm fascinated by the issues. I enjoy teaching the sophomores, and I enjoy summer teaching. Students are more attentive than ever," he said.
Ethical and Legal Implications
One of the case studies discussed in the class dealt with discrimination based on a person's likelihood of developing Alzheimer's disease.
The APOE test, introduced in 1944, predicts susceptibility to Alzheimer's, but not with certainty, Professor Bzik said.
In the class case scenario, a 70-year-old couple apply to a retirement home. The man is found to be positive for one Alzheimer's allele and is denied entrance to the home. Yet, the man is only 29 percent at risk, versus 9 percent if he did not have the allele.
"Even with two copies of the allele, he is only 50 percent at risk. It's a terrible test; not that predictive," Bzik said.
The class divides into small discussion groups to discuss such scenarios, he said. Then they choose one representative to report their general consensus to the class.
Professor Scherr said his role in the class is to provide students with "insight into how the legal system would deal with new genetic knowledge."
This summer is the first time Scherr has taught undergraduates. He said Dartmouth students are "less cynical than law students."
Before beginning his teaching career, Scherr was a criminal defense lawyer. "I was involved in all forensic DNA litigation in New Hampshire for six or seven years," he said.
Scherr said legal issues surrounding the Human Genome Project are wide-ranging.
Scherr said many questions arise in connection to the project, such as "Is it possible for a biotech firm to own a patent on a DNA sequence? Can someone be forced to be tested for a genetic disorder? Can the population be screened for a genetic disorder? Does a physician have the duty to warn someone who is not his patient that he is at risk for having a genetic disorder?"
For instance, Scherr explained, if one twin has Huntington's disease, does his doctor have an obligation to tell the other twin? What if the patient tells him not to tell his brother? What if the uninformed twin is a school bus driver who could show symptoms at any time and endanger children's lives?
Scherr said that it will take about 10 to 20 years to sort out the legal issues
The ethical implications, Green said, arise when one asks, "What are the limits? Should parents be able to choose the IQ, height, etc. of their child? Should we create an enhanced immune system? Or a greater ability to do without sleep?"
Guest Lecturers
Green said he spent a year working at the NIH where he came into contact with leading people and issues, which prepared him well to teach the course.
Green said he invited some of the people he met at NIH to Dartmouth as guest lecturers.
Professor Bzik said the lecture series addresses an intriguing range of issues.
Rebecca Eisenburg, a patent lawyer, discussed commercial issues concerning the ownership of human genes.
Dr. Dean Hamer, discoverer of the so-called "gay gene," a gene linked to susceptibility to homosexuality in men, will speak to the class today about behavioral genetics. Dr. Jonathan Beckwith will debate with Dr. Hamer. Jay Koehler, a law professor and specialist in forensic genetics will discuss the role of DNA evidence in the courtroom.
Bzik said Bob Cook-Deegan, political advisor to the federal government, spoke about the scientific, ethical and legal implications of the Human Genome Project.
Dr. Larry Brody, who identified the mutation called the "Jewish breast cancer gene," discussed the science of cancer and mutations.
Green said the issues surrounding the Human Genome Project are of extreme importance for this generation of students, both on an individual and professional basis.
This class "gives the sophomore class a single experience around these issues," he said.
