The Summit Magazine Spring 2022

Bioethics in the Science Classroom: Real world lessons in honoring the dignity of human life

By Karen Cruse Suder, Upper School Science Teacher

As students navigate the science curriculum in the Upper School, it is natural for bioethical questions to arise. The term “bioethics” encompasses the social, ethical and legal issues of research stemming from biology, medicine, environmental science, nursing, psychology, public health, political science, theology and philosophy. Examining bioethics helps students engage with scientific content while also gaining valuable critical thinking skills.

When faced with ethical questions, communication, collaboration, integrity and persistence are essential skills in the research process. As students connect biological concepts to bioethical questions, I aspire for them to recognize real-world problems that need to be addressed.

A Closer Look at DNA

The concept of DNA is both a familiar story and a mysterious fairy tale. Daily, students are inundated by the media with commentary on gene therapy, GMOs, organ transplants, vaccine development and genetic engineering. However, students struggle with the common denominators of these scientific advancements – gene structure/function, protein synthesis and variation – as they relate to DNA. Nearly all students can identify the helical structure of DNA upon arrival in the Upper School, but most cannot explain how or why DNA’s structure correlates to its function and variation among individuals. In other words, “How can DNA be utilized to identify an individual?”

Biology students focus on this variation by examining Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and agarose gel electrophoresis. Valuable laboratory skills and integrity

in record keeping are mastered while examining how advancements in biotechnology can impact life. Students utilize cases from the Ohio Innocence Project to ascertain whether exoneration is necessary following proper handling of evidence and biological advancements. Students gather the facts and stakeholders’ views to apply biological knowledge to the cases to construct well-reasoned and clearly articulated conclusions.

Lessons from CRISPR

Students are fascinated by the study of genetics and genes. Today, they need to be able to recognize real science, ask questions and propose solutions scientifically and creatively.

When the gene editing tool called CRISPR/cas9 (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) was discovered by Nobel Prize winners Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna, it was originally inspired by a mechanism employed by bacteria to defend itself against viruses. Since then, research proposes more uses such as cancer therapies, plants withstanding drought or fungus and potential cures for inherited diseases. Many benefits to humankind have been identified but naturally, bioethical questions arise.

To explore these questions, biology students conduct a CRISPR laboratory utilizing Escherichia coli (E. coli). Evaluating the results enables students to explore the ethics of potential gene changes and its effects on an ecosystem, presence or absence of global regulations, varied stakeholders and patent disputes. Science meets justice and equity while students recognize these important attributes applying scientific concepts to life outside of the classroom.

The Human Side of Research

In 1951, cervical cells were harvested without consent from cancer patient Henrietta Lacks, an African American woman. These cells, known as HeLa cells, were found to grow and divide endlessly in a laboratory, leading scientists to call them “immortal.” For years, scientists around the world have used HeLa cells for biomedical research in various studies; even after her death, Lacks’s family provided additional medical records and blood tests without ever knowing the reason.

While this practice may have gone unquestioned in the 1950s, today’s standards prioritize protecting the rights of patients involved in research. To ensure that appropriate steps are taken when utilizing human subjects, internal review boards (IRBs) monitor informed consent, equity in treatments, medical records

privacy and how/when patient samples are used. Students in The Summit’s Schiff Family Science Research Institute are exposed to proper scientific and ethical protocol before commencing research. An IRB composed of science department faculty, division directors and school psychologists reviews research proposals that rely on survey data to ensure the rights and welfare of human participants.

Real World Classroom

Discussions about bioethics involve complex problems and are not arguments between various opinions. Science is a human endeavor but grounded in reasonable and logical thought. Skepticism naturally arises, but this helps students evaluate information by analyzing the evidence. I strive to offer student instruction and skill building that promotes biological literacy, but also a mentorship that promotes peer leadership and self-discovery. Organically, students pose questions and find problems. We practice respect and empathy when approaching topics such as inherited diseases.

I hope that students possess a solid understanding of the nature of science and continue to build critical thinking skills. Biology is more than a textbook. A scientific literate citizen can recognize problems, pose questions, analyze the evidence and draw logical conclusions even when faced with a bioethical situation.

About the Author

Mrs. Suder teaches honors biology and AP biology and is the science department coordinator in the Upper School. With a background in biological anthropology, she brings research into the classroom as a vehicle for guiding students to think critically and solve real-world problems.