A Catholic response to gene drives: theological, philosophical and ethical perspectives

This symposium is part of an academic research project funded by the John Templeton Foundation (no. 62211), led by the Laudato Si’ Research Institute. The project aims to facilitate an informed Catholic response to recent developments in biotechnology and genetic science with particular focus on gene drives, a new technology that may require distinctive ethical reasoning beyond that envisaged in existing teaching documents. The symposium will gather a cohort of ecclesial and academic leaders to describe, review and evaluate the implications of these developments and to construct an intellectual infrastructure addressing broader issues in public understanding of biotechnology.

Discussion will proceed with reference to concrete proposals for gene drive pilots in South American countries.