STSC 241 Stem Cells, Science, and Society ~NEW~
Cross-listed as HSOC 241
Offered:Spring 2010
Gearhart/Zaret TR 10:30-12
Stem cells have dominated the news in biomedical news over the past decade impacting on many aspects of society: medicine, ethics, religion, law, politics, economics and education. Stem cells serve as the premier example for a number of critical and controversial issues at the interface of scientific research and society.
This course is intended for undergraduates (upperclassmen) who are not majoring in the sciences. It will focus on the biological sciences as they relate to human biology and the quest for medical therapies. Discussion topics include: what is science and the scientific process; who are scientists; some basic science to understand the complexity of cells and of organisms; where do we get our basic science from; how we develop, maintain and repair ourselves but eventually die; the importance of stem cells in life’s events; status reports on major disease processes and current treatments; our hopes for the future in developing a variety of therapies; the ethics and moral concerns about the conductance of science research and its application to patients; who makes science policy; who funds biomedical research and who benefits; and who decides on what can be done with patients and patient information. The goal of the course is an informed citizenry.
