New Year Ethics and Technology meeting
Description
The Board of KIVI Region East cordially invites you to the New Year's Meeting of Region East with the theme 'Ethics and Technology'. This time we are guests of Demcon in Enschede and there will be two presentations:
A Human Organs-on-Chips by Andries D. van der Meer, Ph.D.
Applied Stem Cell Technologies, MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine, UT.
Organs-on-chips are laboratory micro devices with integrated sensors and actuators in which human cells are grown in a realistic and well-controlled micro-environment. Organs-on-chips exhibit organ-level functionality and can be used as powerful in vitro models for studying human disease, drug efficacy and toxicity. By integrating stem cell-derived tissue in the micro-devices, 'personalised organs-on-chips' can be developed. The data from such models will be of great use in developing more targeted therapies. In this presentation, the concept of organs-on-chips will be introduced, focusing on its role in biomedical and pharmaceutical science and its future development. Advanced bio fabrication techniques are applied extensively in the development and engineering of these advanced micro-devices.
Dr. Andries D. van der Meer is a medical cell biologist with an additional specialisation in microfluidic technology. He is currently appointed as an Assistant Professor at the MIRA Institute for Biomedical Technology and Technical Medicine of the University of Twente where he coordinates the Strategic Research Orientation 'Organs-on-Chips'.
What if 3-d printing gets under our skin: Reflections on organ printing by Steven Dorrestijn.
At a rapid pace, 3-d printing is becoming commonplace for prototyping and manufacturing technical products. But developments continue. 3-d printing is creeping up on us and under our skin. The technology lends itself to creating unique products tailored to individual people. According to many, it is also going to be possible to print people's organs. The benefits seem obvious: a new opportunity to remedy a whole range of diseases and disabilities of the human body, giving people a longer and better life. But this blending of technology and life also immediately raises concerns about possible risks and whether ethical boundaries are not crossed with the intervention in human nature.
Steven Dorrestijn explores in this lecture what impact 3-d printing, in general and of organs in particular, has in the organisation of society, in our way of life and our biological life. For this, he will use his Product Impact Tool. This will be a prelude to discussion on questions such as which topics should be the subject of social debate and what role technology developers can play.
Of course, there will be plenty of opportunity to continue this discussion in small circles and raise a glass to the new year!
Speaker(s)
Andries D. van der Meer Ph.D.
Dr. Steven Dorrestijn
Location
Institutenweg 25, 7521 PH Enschede
Organiser
Eastern Region
Name and contact details for information
Chris Nieuwenhuis