Introduction :
Building upon current debate about public engagement with emerging technologies, the workshop brings together ELSI and STS scholars to discuss issues related to public participation when dealing with ethical, social and public health issues of genome research and its clinical applications. In particular, the workshop will focus on three key-issues of public participation in new genomic technologies: a) issues related to engaging diverse publics and to different forms of participation, b) researchers’ “embedment” in public engagement and, c) policy outcomes of public participation.
The workshop will benefit from the variety of fieldworks and thematic areas explored by participants including: biobanking initiatives, research on health data and tissue samples, participant-centric research initiatives, expert committees, collaborations with patient organizations, etc. Workshop discussions will build upon participants’ reflections on their own work on/in relation to public engagement, as researchers, experts, or facilitators of public debate. Special attention will be given to challenges and difficulties that workshop participants may have encountered in their work.