Course overview
Rapid advances are being made in biomedical technology that are changing how we legally conceptualise the human body. This course will examine the development of new biotechnologies and their impact on existing regulatory, legal, and policy frameworks that govern the human body. Selected fields of biomedical technology, such as genetics and genomics, stem cells, reproductive technologies, and biobanking will be considered through the lenses of property law, privacy law, and the law of consent. As our biological understanding of the human body continues to expand, a key question to be explored in this course is whether these existing legal frameworks can adapt to biological change.
Course learning outcomes
- Comprehend and explain key legal concepts underpinning the regulation of the human body and bodily materials
- Critically evaluate the challenges and debates surrounding the regulation of the human body and bodily materials
- Identify, analyse and discuss the interaction between technological progress and legal development as it pertains to the human body and bodily materials
- Conduct in-depth research and communicate original ideas on cutting edge topics where science and law intersect
- Identify, follow and apply processes for publication of academic articles