Bioethics/ Biotech and Society Home
Departmental Information and Links
UMC Bioethics/Biotechnology Curriculum
Law & Biotechnology
Lawyers will have a crucial role to play in the age of biotechnology–an age in which we can custom design our food and our children. Legal training will be especially helpful in assisting our society to make the subtle and vital distinctions that we will need to make in order to separate the beneficial uses of biotechnology from the unacceptable ones. Already, lawyers work in regulatory agencies like the FDA, EPA, and DOA, drafting and enforcing regulations to insure safe food and drugs, ethical research, proper labeling and disclosure, and environmental safety. They file or contest patent applications.
Across the country, lawyers are also helping to facilitate the transfer of these new technologies from those who invent it to those who can use it. In time, lawyers will inevitably help to sort out disputes that arise between and among farmers, food and drug manufacturers, researchers, patients, and consumers. Those disputes will arise in contexts as disparate as personal injuries caused by unsafe research, at one end, to organic fields contaminated by "volunteer" genetically-modified pollen, at the other. Our graduates will be ready to help.
The Core Biotechnology Curriculum at the Law School
- Genetics and the Law
- The Social and Legal Implications of Genetically-Modified Food
- Bioethics Seminar
- Patent Law
- Health Care Finance and Access or the Health Insurance Seminar.
-
Biotechnology Practicum (during the school year or during the summer)
Related Law School Courses
Environmental Law
Antitrust Law
Other courses relevant to technology transfer or new business start-up:
- Secured Transactions
- Corporate Finance
- Corporate Taxation
- Business Organizations
- Business Planning
- Arbitration
Biotechnology-Related Courses in Other Departments
- Agricultural Economics 301: Economics and Management of Biotechnology
- Biochemistry 105: Biotechnology and Society
- Biology Science 108: Genetics and Human Affairs
- Biology Science 411: Ethical Conduct of Research
- Journalism 431: Science, Society and the News Media
- Philosophy 331: Medical Ethics
- Political Science 365: Environmental Theory and Politics
- Agricultural Economics 256: Agribusiness & Biotech Law
- Rural Sociology 101: Social Issues of Food Biotechnologies
Joint Degrees and Programs of Interest
JD/Phd in Science Journalism:
- related journalism classes include:
- The News Media and Social Responsibility
- Science Writing
- Media in a Democracy
- Environmental Research for Journalists
- Media Ethics
JD/Masters of Public Administration (including Institute of Public Policy)
JD/Masters of Business Administration
JD/Masters of Health Administration
JD/Masters of Economics
European Studies Certificate Program (MU is one of ten universities designated by the European Union as an "EU Center")
We are also exploring joint degrees with Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Plant Science, Engineering, and Agricultural Economics. Please let us know if you would be interested.
More Details About the Core Curriculum
Genetics and the Law. An exploration of the legal issues raised by human genetics. Likely topics include the rights and duties of parents and physicians to screen fetuses, embryos and children for genetic disease, human subjects protection, the laws governing discrimination on the basis of genetic characteristics, genetic privacy laws, the regulation of genetic reproductive practices like cloning and designer babies, and the patentibility of genetic discoveries
The Social and Legal Implications of Genetically-Modified Food. A search for the truth behind the rhetoric about genetically-modified food. This class is an interdisciplinary examination of the social, ethical, economic and legal issues raised by these products. Faculty from across the campus will contribute lectures.
Bioethics Seminar. An examination of some of the legal and ethical issues presented by modern medical science, such as the redefining of death, the withholding or refusal of life-sustaining medical treatment, reproductive technology (which raises issues such as paternity, custody, safety and access), organ transfer, genetic counseling and the public health issues raised by the AIDS epidemic.
Patent Law. This course will provide comprehensive coverage of the U.S. Patent Laws for those interested in obtaining general information about patents, as well as for those interested in practicing before the Patent and Trademark Office. The course will trace an invention through the application, examination, reconsideration, re-examination and litigation processes.
Health Care Finance and Access and Health Insurance Seminar. These courses examine the American system of health care financing, focusing on health insurance and exploring the threat that genetic testing poses to insurance access.
Directed Independent Study in Biotechnology Law. Individual research and a written paper on a special problem under supervision of a faculty member. Prior approval of the Dean is necessary for initial or cumulative credit in excess of one semester hour.
Biotechnology Practicums: Placement in offices such as the UMC Office of Technology Transfer, our Institutional Review Boards (supervising human subjects research), Office of the General Counsel, and the Midwest Bioethics Center (K.C.).
Summer internships. The law school offers credit for summer internships across the country in the area of biotechnology. Our program director and placement director will assist in identifying opportunities in public interest organizations, government regulatory agencies and, in special instances, private firms. [Nabc, mobio, monsanto, pew, ucs, sierra, farmers?
Related Programs on Campus
Molecular Biology Program: Director, Donald Riddle, 573-882-2816
Interdisciplinary Plant Biochemistry, Physiology, and Molecular Biology Group: Director, Doug Randall, 573-882-4847
Economics and Management of Agrobiotechnology Center (EMAC): Director, Nicholas Kalaitzandonakes, 573-882-0143
AgBioForum, an interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed on-line journal published by EMAC.
European Union Center: Director, E. Andrew Balas, 573-882-8416
Science Journalism Center: Director, Rob Logan, 573-882-4714
Missouri Institute for Public Policy: Director, Bart Wechsler, 573-882-4914
Center for Health Care Quality: Director, E. Andrew Balas, 573-882-8416
| Office Address: 314 Hulston Hall - Office Phone: (573) 882-8274 - E-Mail: PetersP@missouri.edu |