Genes, Patents, and Race

On October 26, 2018, Myles W. Jackson, Professor in the School of Historical Studies, gave his first IAS public lecture on "Genes, Patents, and Race: The History of Science as a Bridge Between Disciplines."

Jackson discussed how the history of science can contribute to two controversial aspects of biomedical research: gene patenting, and race and genomics.

Arnold J. Levine, Professor Emeritus in the School of Natural Sciences, followed Jackson, speaking about recent advances in immunotherapy treatment of breast cancer and the usefulness of useless knowledge.

The event concluded with a panel discussion featuring Jackson, Levine, and Director and Leon Levy Professor Robbert Dijkgraaf, including questions from the audience.

Find full video footage of the lecture below, and subscribe to the IAS YouTube channel for frequent updates from IAS scholars.

Jackson also contributed an article on this subject to the Fall 2018 Institute Letter, available here.