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Title [sv]
Bio-objekt på 2000-talet: Chimbrider och andra arthybrider
Title [en]
Bio-objects in the 21st century: Cybrids and other hybrid embryos
Abstract [sv]
Genetisk modifiering av organismer är idag vardagsmat, en tredjedel av alla djurförsök omfattar någon form av transgenteknik. Bioteknologin vill nu ta ett steg längre. Begreppet ‚Äùchimbrid‚Äù är ett samlingsord för hybrider och chimärer, och innefattar embryon med blandad arttillhörighet. En chimbrid behöver inte ha mänsklig härstamning, men i den debatt som förts i andra länder och i talet om chimbrider så är det olika typer av mix mellan människor och andra djur och konsekvenserna av detta som stått i fokus. Så också i detta projekt. Men vi kommer även att relatera denna typ av forskning med annan hybridforskning. Begreppet vi använder och utvecklar för att förstå dessa nya former av liv är ’bio-objekt’. Bio-objekt skapar sina särskilda dilemman därför att de ofta uppstår utanför och därmed överskrider traditionella styrningsramar och regelverk, liksom kulturella sorteringssystem och invanda katagoriseringar. Syftet med studien är att utveckla teoretiska redskap för att förstå och reglera de utmaningar som dessa nya bio-objekt för med sig. Metodologiskt kommer vi att följa den framväxande svenska debatten om chimbrider på en rad olika arenor: olika former av media, Statens medicinetiska råds arbeten och konferenser, riksdagsdebatter och förarbeten till policy- och lagförändringar. Dessutom kommer vi att intervjua nyckelpersoner som vetenskapliga experter, bio- och medicinetiker, politiker och företrädare för intresseorganisationer.
Abstract [en]
Genetic modification of organisms is now commonplace, and a large proportion of these practices involve the mixing of human and animal DNA, cells and tissues. About one third of all animal experiments involve some form of trans-gene engineering. Many of these animals, most often mice, carry genes from humans in their genomes, such as certain disease genes. Moreover, since the 90s, xeno-transplantation research has aimed at filling the gap in the number of organs needed for transplantation, with the help of “humanized” animal donors (most often pigs). Biomedicine is now taking a step further and developing human admixed embryos - cybrids - in order to advance basic research in embryology, therapies in regenerative medicine and stem cell research and therapy. Paradoxically, all these practices build on the idea of biological continuity (humans and other animals as similar), while the regulations (when they exist) focus on differences. It is fair to suggest that these interspecies embryos, which balance the fine line between science fiction,and science fact, are particularly vulnerable to hyperbole in scientific, media, regulatory and political domains.But what are the ethical, social, cultural and scientific issues and debates that this practice will encounter and how will the activities be regulated? Issues raised in Denmark and the UK, where the debate is ahead of the Swedish one, concern both ethical aspects linked to the ambiguous species identity of cybrids - are they to be considered human or animal? - and the scientific benefits and potential risks of their use and production. The project investigates the challenges these novel embryos pose, and how they are understood, handled and regulated in different areas of society. This will be done through discourse analysis of the emerging Swedish debate on cybrid and other hybrid embryo research in the legislation and policy processes, scientific discourse, news reporting and social media on the Internet. In addition, the theoretical objective of the study is to develop tools to understand and resolve challenges posed by new “bio-objects” such as cybrids. The method is to trace the cybrids’ multiple cultural meanings and the phrases used for various scientific and political purposes, as they circulate, and become transformed, through many sectors of society. By studying these different social arenas separately and together, we will be able to analyse the development of a debate on a new biotechnological area, and contribute to a general understanding of the processes steering the debate and policy-making in a specific direction.
Co-InvestigatorIdeland, Malin
Co-InvestigatorHolmberg, Tora
Principal InvestigatorHolmberg, Tora
Coordinating organisation
Uppsala University
Funder
Period
2011-01-01 － 2013-12-31
Identifiers
DiVA, id: project:6898Project, id: P10-0343:1_RJ

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