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Neuroethics Society www.neuroethicssociety.org — Volume 2, Number 3 May, 2008 Writing Prize in Neuroethics: Winners Announced Megan Kaufman, NS Assistant Administrator The Neuroethics Society is nal’s sixth bi-annual issue is centered Geneva University Medical School, proud to announce the winners of the around neuroethics with the NS publiciz- Heather Knapp of the University of Neuroethics Prize in Writing, jointly ing the call for papers and helping to se- Washington, Mike Kuhar of Emory Uni- sponsored by the Society and the edito- lect winners for the writing contest. Bo rial board of the Penn Bioethics Journal Peng described the nature of the collabo- Continued on page 2 (PBJ). Awards went to the top three ration: “We often have themed issues for neuroethics-themed articles submitted by the journal such as public health, organ undergraduates to PBJ, the nation’s pre- transplantation, and international bio- miere undergraduate bioethics journal, ethics, so with the growing nature of neu- published and edited by students at the roethics, it was very appropriate to cre- University of Pennsylvania. The editorial ate this issue. We received a number of board at the Journal initially reviewed all neuroethics and other bioethics papers the submitted articles and nominated from undergrads at ten different schools three outstanding pieces for review by a and ran them through our normal review committee of Neuroethics Society mem- process with the editorial board. We bers. The committee selected the winner were left with 3 papers to be judged for and two runners up, each receiving a the writing prizes.” prize for their work. The winning papers A committee of eight NS mem- can be found online at bers reviewed the three nominated pa- www.bioethicsjournal.com. pers and selected the winner and runners The collaboration began with a up based upon the strength of each piece. meeting between the editor in chief of The committee included Tom Buller of PBJ, University of Pennsylvania junior Bo the University of Alaska, Daofen Chen of Peng, and NS Communication and Mem- the National Institute of Neurological bership Chair, Martha Farah. The Jour- Disease and Stroke, Samia Hurst of the MacArthur Program in Law and Neuroscience Established Megan Kaufman, NS Assistant Administrator Ten million dollars is being put instead of “more accurate predictions, Project include developing a primer for toward neuroethics in a new grant more effective interventions, and less judges on using new research findings and through the Law and Neuroscience Pro- bias.” The Project answers the call by the creation of a textbook for law ject. The Project brings together the lead- supporting joint research between scien- schools. The Project also features a series ers of two diverse fields to promote con- tists and legal scholars. of articles relevant to its work on their versation between neuroscience and law. The project is directed by Neu- website. The Project was inaugurated in October roethics Society members Michael S. Gaz- More information on the Project 2007 and is funded by the John D. and zaniga and Walter Sinnott-Armstrong and is available on the website at Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation organized into three research networks: www.lawandneuroscienceproject.org. through a three-year grant to the Univer- Differing Brains, Addiction and Antisocial Public events pertaining to neuroethics sity of California at Santa Barbara. Ac- Behavior, and Decision-making. Each net- will be publicized on the NS event calen- cording to the Foundation, the explosive work will convene at least three times a dar as well as in the newsletter. The crea- growth of scientific knowledge in the past year to discuss the gaps in knowledge tion of the Law and Neuroscience Project decade necessitates reform in the judicial requiring further research and propose is a landmark in the development of neu- system. Without careful consideration on recommendations for judicial and ethical roethics and draws public attention to both sides, misuse of technology could reform. Year two of the Project involves the field. lead to false convictions and skepticism funding for research. Other goals of the Page 2 Continued: Writing Prize Winners Announced versity, Jim Olds of George Mason Uni- the challenging questions that it strives ginia, George Mason University, and the versity, Maarje Schermer of the Erasmus to answer, and the issues that we all University of Calgary. The journal is Academic Medical Center, and Kevin must think critically about.” After taking published twice-annually, with funding Wilson of Gettysburg College. a year off, she hopes to apply to gradu- and support from the Student Activities Courtney Beoff of the College ate school. Council, the Center for Undergraduate of Saint Catherine won top honors for Runners-up include Sheheryar Research and Fellowships, and the Cen- her work entitled “The ethical consid- Kabraji, Edmund Naylor, and Daniel ter for Bioethics, all of the University of erations of nootropic drugs: memory Wood’s article entitled “Reading minds? Pennsylvania. The editorial board is boom or drug bust?”. The article, based Ethical implications of recent advances in open to Penn undergraduates, and in- upon her honors thesis, highlights the neuroimaging” and Janitza Montalvo- cludes 30 students advised by Penn fac- similarity in ethical concerns between Ortiz’s article entitled “Should f-MRI lie- ulty members Jonathan Moreno, Connie steroid and nootropic drug use in nor- detection technology be admitted in Ulrich and Dr. Paul Wolpe. mal populations. It also calls for further courtrooms?” The first article, written While each issue of PBJ includes research into the long term effects of by Oxford Medical School students, dis- papers based on a selected theme, sub- nootopic drugs, which are currently be- cusses the ethical implications of the use missions are always open to all topics ing used as a treatment method for pa- of functional magnetic resonance imaging and undergraduate authors. NS mem- tients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, (fMRI) to determine levels of conscious- bers are encouraged to advise their stu- because “otherwise, the memory net- ness in comatose patients. The later arti- dents to submit papers (including neuro- works that define individuals and enable cle “intends to assess some of the argu- ethics-focused) to future issues. More people to remember good and bad ex- ments that raise many ethical, civil and information can be found on the website. periences will be at risk.” Beoff is a sen- social concerns about the unregulated “The neuroethics writing contest and ior majoring in biology with a minor in incorporation of the fMRI technology as collaboration with NS exemplifies the chemistry. Her interest in neuroethics a lie-detector device that can threaten savvy and progressive mindset of the was sparked by her four years spent the credibility of the science in our soci- Penn Bioethics Journal,” according to the working in the lab of neuroscientist Dr. ety.” executive editor Bo Peng. The successful Apostolos Georgopoulos and her liberal The three wining articles are union with the Neuroethics Society for arts education. Beoff says “Neuroethics published in volume IV, issue ii of PBJ, this writing contest strengthened the fascinates me because it involves an which includes seven articles from stu- bond between the professional and aca- overlap between the ever-changing and dents at Oxford Medical School, the demic world of neuroethics and further developing field of neuroscience that College of Saint Catherine, the Univer- fueled the interest of nascent scientists captivates my interest and ethics, a field sity of Puerto Rico, the University of in the field. which I have been drawn to because of Western Ontario, the University of Vir- NS Welcomes Assistant Administrator Megan Kaufman NS welcomes its newest member to the staff. Megan Kauffman is a freshman at the University of Pennsylvania majoring in Biological Basis of Behavior. She became in- terested in neuroethics after reading several neuroethics-related papers for her high school psychology class and watching ethical issues arise in the clinical sphere while working at a local hospital. Since arriving at Penn she has been helping to or- ganize monthly neuroethics talks at the Center for Cognitive Neuroscience and working as a research assistant for Martha Farah. Kauffman says, “Neuroethics al- lows me to examine the brain quantitatively in order to draw qualitative conclu- sions. Very few other areas allow me to tie my interests in the microscopic and macroscopic dimensions so seamlessly.” She will be writing for the newsletter and managing the website. Her first contribution to the newsletter is the cover stories, on the neuroethics writing prize and MacArthur Law and Neuroscience Project. Volume 2, Number 3 Page 3 Meeting Round-up Potomac Institute Workshop On April 18, 2008, the Center for Neurotechnology Studies (CNS) of the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies (PIPS) organized a workshop on “Developing Ethical Guidelines for Research and Use of Neurotechnologies”. The workshop was hosted by CNS Director, Dr. Dennis McBride and attended by an eclectic mixture of experts from academe, industry, legal, defense and governmental sectors. Dr. Evan DeRenzo, Adjunct Fellow at Potomac Institute, moderated the day-long proceedings that included presentations in the morning, highlighting the current state and future direction of neurotechnologies. The afternoon was a brainstorming session to prioritize ethical, legal, social implications (ELSI) surrounding a particular neurotechnology. The goal was to reach at consensus regarding terminology, and develop methodology to evaluate neurotechnologies’ ELSI issues. The workshop concluded by laying forth both short- and long-term steps to continue the dialogue and advance sound public discourse in the neuroethics of neurotechnologies. For a beginner like me, the workshop provided a revealing, exciting and challenging opportunity to further explore the emerging field of neurotechnology and neuroethics. Vid Nukala, PhD (Neurobiology), is a Research Intern at the Center for Neurotechnology Studies (CNS) of the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies.