Symposium explores social, ethical, legal issues surrounding DNA databanks
WHAT:
"Guilt by Association: Searching for Suspects Through Familial Forensic DNA," a free half-day symposium, will explore the social, ethical and legal issues surrounding the use of DNA databanks and the mining of these databanks by law enforcement for familial DNA. Should police assume "near match" DNA belongs to relatives of suspects and use this information in their efforts to track down perpetrators of crimes? Is this an invasion of privacy? Whose DNA should be included in forensic databases? This seventh annual symposium on genetics, sponsored by the UCLA Center for Society and Genetics, will address these and other questions.
WHO:
Symposium speakers will include:
- Dr. Edward R.B. McCabe, co-director of the UCLA Center for Society and Genetics and physician-in-chief of Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA
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Dr. Wayne Grody, professor of pathology, pediatrics and human genetics at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
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Jonathan Koehler, law and business professor, Arizona State University
- Jennifer Mnookin, professor and dean of faculty research at the UCLA School of Law
- Mitch Morrissey, Denver district attorney
- Tania Simoncelli, ACLU science adviser
WHEN:
9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 25
WHERE:
Covel Commons in Sunset Village, on the UCLA campus
(campus map: www.maps.ucla.edu/campus)
BACKGROUND:
The UCLA Center for Society and Genetics is unique nationwide in the variety of disciplines it brings to bear on genetic research and medicine. For more information, visit www.socgen.ucla.edu.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Claudia Luther, UCLA Office of Media Relations, 310-206-8258 (office), 310-489-8942 (cell)
PARKING:
Campus parking is available for $9; courtesy parking is available to journalists by reservation.