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In November of 2014, immediately following Approval by the University of Kent Senate, the Centre for interdisciplinary Studies of Reproduction (CISoR) has its opening event. A starter of chicken liver pate or roasted pepper salad was followed by a welcome by Philippe De Wilde, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research. Professors Darren Griffin (School of Biosciences) and Sally Sheldon (Kent Law School) Director and Deputy Director of CISoR welcomed the guests and shared their thoughts on reproduction and the significance of interdisciplinary study. Guest were then treated to a dinner of glazed salmon fillet or vegetable Jalfrezi after which Drs Grant Walling (JSR Genetics) and Alan Thornhill (Illumina Inc) shared their thoughts on reproduction and feeding a growing population as well as the role of CISoR from numerous vantage points. The evening was then given over to a series of fun activities including:

  • When you realized you were pregnant (an adapted game of roulette)
  • Fertilize your egg (a game of archery)
  • Guess the weight of the baby (or at least a reasonable facsimile)
  • Sperm racing (like horse racing but with a twist)

….…. before being treated to dessert. The members of CISoR are extremely grateful to the BBSRC, Illumina Inc, JSR Genetics, Andrology Solutions, Research Instruments, The Bridge IVF Centre and Fairweather’s Solicitors for sponsoring the event and providing the raffle prizes.

Untitled

“Three parent IVF” was discussed throughout the meeting

 

Dinner

Thornhill

Dr Alan Thornhill was uniquely placed to speak on the various roles of CISoR after having been employed in academia (he is also an honorary Reader with the University), in private and NHS IVF clinics (including the Bridge Centre and Guys’ Hospital) and most recently with Illumina Inc.

Fertilisation Game

Fertilisation Game 1

The fertilization game

Sperm racing

Sperm racing

roulette

Having children was likened to a game of Roulette

Science, Law and Bioethics: Kent/Ghent Bioethics Collaborative Initiative, February 24-26, 2015

Science, Law and Bioethics: Kent/Ghent Bioethics Collaborative Initiative,

February 24-26, 2015

Organised by Kent Law School (KLS), Bioethics Institute Ghent (BIG), and the University of Kent, Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of Reproduction (CISoR) 

All are welcome to come along to the discussions take place. All the events are being held on Kent University’s Canterbury Campus.

For more information contact Dr. Pamela White P.White-229@kent.ac.uk

 

Tuesday 24 February 6:00 – 8:00 pm, ELT2

VESSEL —-Film Viewing and Discussion, co-hosted by CiSoR, KCLGS and CeCIL, and moderated by Professor Sally Sheldon

VESSEL begins with a young doctor who lived by the sea, and an unlikely idea.  Rebecca Gomperts, horrified by the realities created by anti-abortion law around the world, felt compelled to challenge this.  Her method: to provide abortions on a ship in offshore waters.We witness the creation of an underground network of emboldened, informed activists, working at the cutting edge of global reproductive rights, who trust women to handle abortion themselves. VESSEL is Rebecca’s story: one of a woman who heard and answered a calling, and transformed a wildly improbable idea into a global movement.

 

Wednesday 25 February Keynes College Lecture Theatre 5, 1.30pm -5.30pm

Confronting Science, Law and Bioethics

 A series of papers will be given.

‘What constitutes parenthood according to (aspiring) parents, knowing that one partner will not be/is not genetically related to their child?’ (Dr Veerle Provoost)

‘After the ‘need for….a father’: ‘The welfare of the child’ and ‘supportive parenting’ in UK assisted conception clinics’ (Prof. Ellie Lee)

‘The welfare of the child after social freezing of oocytes’ (Prof. Guido Pennings)

‘The regulatory cliff edge between contraception and abortion: the legal and moral significance of implantation’. (Prof. Sally Sheldon)

‘What constitutes parenthood according to (aspiring) parents, knowing that one partner will not be/is not genetically related to their child?’ (Dr Veerle Provoost)

‘The precious vessel hypothesis: Ubiquity and implications of ‘Benevolent Sexism’ for interventions on conception, pregnancy and childbirth.’ (Prof. Robbie Sutton)

‘Hidden Data?: What Canada’s ART Registry (CARTR) Reveals about Gestational Carriers’ (Dr Pamela White)

‘25 years of PGD’ (Prof. Darren Griffin)

Refreshments, Keynes College Lecture Theatre 5, 5.30pm – 6.30pm

 

Thursday, 26 February Keynes College Lecture Theatre 5, 10:30-12:00

Confronting Science, Law and Bioethics: Kent/Ghent Bioethics Collaborative Initiative

‘Revisiting the Regulation of Human Fertilisation and Embryology’. A Roundtable discussion Chaired by Dr Kirsty Horsey with presentations (Prof. K. Devine, A. Blackburn-Starza, K. Neofytou, Dr. P. White)

Starting the Discussion: What would we be looking for in a collaborative Kent/Ghent Bioethics arrangement? Comments from Kent KLS PG students with discussion from attendees. (PG Kent Student representative, Prof. V. Provoost)

 

Thursday, 26 February, Brian Simpson Room, Eliot Extension, 12:00 to 2:00

Starting the Discussion: What would we be looking for in a collaborative Kent/Ghent Bioethics arrangement? Comments from Kent MSc Repromed students with discussion from attendees

Continuing the Discussion: Planning for a visit to Ghent, April 2015

This event has been made possible by the Kent/Ghent Collaborative Research Grant obtained by Professors Sally Sheldon and Robin Mackenzie and Dr. Pamela White, Kent Law School and Professors Veerle Provoost and Guido Pennings, Bioethics Institute Ghent, in association with support provided by Kent’s Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies of Reproduction (CISoR) and Professor Darren Griffin.