Opening Address

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Message of Greetings

I am pleased to extend my warmest greetings to all present here in Rome and to all those connected online. In a special way I would like to thank the speakers for their generous willingness to share the fruit of their efforts and investigations. The Pontifical Academy for Life is very pleased with the collaboration that has been established to organize these two days of work with the NCCR (Molecular System Engineering), the University of Basel, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich and the Bambino Gesù Hospital in Rome, which is kindly hosting this year's conference.

I see it as a very positive fact that this conference is now in its second year, because that is exactly what we are aiming for again as an Academy. That is, the Academy cares not only about organizing events, however prestigious and interesting they may be, but also about accompanying processes that explore in depth the meaning of phenomena and thus also have a formative impact. And for this to happen, it is necessary to reflect on the scope of our research, the innovations that change social relations and the way of life.

This is why we are pleased to commit ourselves, together with other such prestigious institutions, to provide spaces where competent and open discussion can take place. We intend to establish a dialogue between not only different scientific disciplines, but also with humanistic knowledge (humanities), also making use of the resources that the great religious traditions can offer. We are convinced that only in this way can we promote a fruitful understanding between science and society. Indeed, there is a clear risk that scientific research and technological innovation will be experienced in a magical or threatening way - sometimes even rightly so, when what Pope Francis calls technocratic hegemony is realized (Laudato si', nn. 106-114). Avoiding this requires, on the one hand, that we all become more aware of the potential and limits of technoscience, and on the other, that scientific research not be governed only by market or control logics. It is essential to listen to people's needs, offering one's contribution to a human development that takes into account all aspects of personal and social living, that is, what we call integral human development.

In wishing you to keep this perspective in mind with determination and seriousness, I sincerely wish you a fruitful time of exchange and common reflection, which can have positive spin-offs for the good of the entire human family.

Rome, 18 November 2024

Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia
President of the Pontifical Academy for Life

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The engineering of molecular and cellular systems for clinical applications capitalizes on the unique competences achieved worldwide within the past 10 years. Big leaps towards applying engineering principles to clinics and to restore body functions are provided by the development of gene-based and cell-based therapies. Successful attempts include the restoration of vision, the control of metabolic disorders, or the growth of tissues and organs for replacement. While in the long run such systems engineering approaches will help to cure pertinent diseases, methods to modify, edit, correct and/or complement the genome of patients can be also used to improve a person’s lifestyle, or be even misused in various ways. To address the ethical aspects of such attempts towards engineering life, the 2nd International Conference Ethics of Engineering Life brings together stakeholders in developing and applying approaches to edit and control living systems, clinicians applying such procedures, ethicists, philosophers, communicators and artists, and other relevant representatives of our global society.

The conference is organized by the NCCR Molecular Systems Engineering of the University of Basel and ETH Zurich, Switzerland; Pontifical Academy for Life, Vatican City; and Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, Italy.

ICEEL welcomes everyone interested in engineering life to participate in this unique event online.

ICEEL 2022 Talks

View selected talks of the 1st International Conference Ethics of Engineering Life 2022

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ICEEL 2022 Ethics Statement

New biotechnologies are becoming more viable and have the potential to affect the lives of millions of people around the world. Issues emerging from their development may be considered under two main perspectives: the need i) for researchers and, more broadly, all the stakeholders involved in the translation from the lab to the real world to be aware of the ethical, legal, and political implications; and ii) to foster dialogue with the public on these implications. In this regard, it is crucial to inform citizens properly about these new technologies and their ethical implications. Equally important, all stakeholders must take into consideration citizens’ worries, doubts, and real needs to foster clarity and trust between them and the scientific community with respect to these delicate scientific developments.

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