SYSNORM

Systems Networks Norms

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'Genomic sciences are driving progress in biology at an unprecedented pace, most recently through third-generation sequencing and synthetic biology. These achievements challenge commonly accepted biological concepts and assumptions in the humanities. In this Fellowship I will investigate the impact of genomic sciences on theory development in the social and human sciences, with focus on philosophy and ethics, and develop innovative normative models that align with this new knowledge. Harvard University will provide a unique setting for this investigation through its juxtaposition of front line genomics and medical research with rich humanities resources. My hypothesis is that systems approaches in biology are replacing traditional ontologies of health and disease - based on compendia of symptoms and test reference ranges - with emergent states and activity levels of nonlinear genetic networks. These concepts will induce substantial changes in objectives of basic research, translation of this research into practice, and, ultimately, the delivery and prioritization of health services. This shift must be assimilated into the philosophy and ethics that appraise these activities. Research and training at the Church lab at Harvard Medical School, a Center of Excellence in Genomic Science, will propel my academic career and bring innovative knowledge to Europe. The plan will be to work hands-on with genomic scientists to identify and develop specific examples of pathway characterizations that are in the process of replacing current health and disease categories, extrapolate how these foundational changes will translate into basic research and health care practices, and use the network examples to develop a blueprint for a systems biology-relevant normative model. Specific training objectives are framed in the proposal for human systems biology, network theory and analysis tools, medical genetics and ethics, and in the practice of professional scientific leadership.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

EU funding is enabling researchers to determine ethical norms for newly emerging scientific disciplines such as genomic science and network medicine.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Scientific advancements in biomedicine have reached unprecedented levels, and application of genome editing in clinical practice is far from far-fetched. Genome editing refers to breakthrough technology that can alter the genetic sequence of entire animal or plant populations that can be passed to the next generation. Under the aegis of the project SYSNORM (Systems networks norms), researchers studied the implications of systems biology and network medicine on health and disease.

In the first year of the project, researchers developed a novel foundational argument for dealing with comprehensive human data sets generated from high-throughput genome analyses. SYSNORM also worked on assessing the ethical implications of cutting-edge technologies such as organ-on-chip and organoid model systems.

A key area of focus was on genome editing through CRISPR-Cas9 technology. SYSNORM obtained novel insight into the ethical and regulatory aspects of breakthrough 'gene drive' technology that permits real-time genome editing.

The first two years of the project led to eight publications in major journals and more are on the way. Training activities included participation in meetings, seminars, conferences and workshops and the development of courses.

Overall, SYSNORM activities are contributing to the development of a blueprint for a systems biology-relevant normative model for genomic technologies. In the current scenario of rapid technological advancements, this project has addressed several issues of societal relevance, including data sharing and ethics.