Biology Writing Project
Research/Position Paper
Molecular biology has undergone a revolution in the last few years. Gene therapy and research, the Human Genome Project,
and prenatal testing techniques have led many members of society to question the ethics surrounding the research and
techniques. Now, more than any other time in history, major ethical and societal issues are being discussed and debated with
great interest. Theologians, scientists, patients, lawyers and other interested people are often at odds as to the ethical, legal
and social implications of this research. This activity is designed to help you become aware of the many questions being
debated and to enhance your understanding of the science behind the research.
Bioethical Position Paper
TOPICS:
1. Fetal tissue as a source for Stem Cells
2. Growth Hormone Therapy
3. Designer Genes
OR
Research Paper
4. Cancer
5. Genetic Disorder
SCENARIO: After reading your scenario, you are ready to begin your research.
Argumentative PAPER: Your paper must contain the following
INTRODUCTION/THESIS PARAGRAPH The introduction should grab the reader's attention, set up
the issue, and include your thesis statement. Your thesis is your main point, summed up in a concise
sentence that lets the reader know where you're going, and why. Your intro is merely a buildup of the
issue, a stage of bringing your reader into the essay's argument.
HISTORY/TOPIC BACKGROUND (what vocabulary needs to be explained? scientists, dates,
procedures, patients, locations, etc.)
DEBATE BOTH SIDES OF THE TOPIC MUST BE PRESENTED. Pros and cons of the argument
need to be discussed and explained.
PERSONAL VIEW TAKE A POSITION! You have researched the information, and it's time to make
your position known. Explain in detail why you feel the way you do. This is a very important part of
your paper.
CONCLUSION Summarize thesis with a wrap-up sentence, and then end on some memorable thought,
perhaps a quotation, or an interesting twist of logic, or some call to action. Is there something you want
the reader to walk away and do? Let him or her know exactly what.
SCENARIO 1: Fetal Tissue Transplantation
Popeye and Olive Sailorman are a happily married couple with two children.
Both enjoy a comfortable life style and a stable home life. Olive's elderly father is
diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. His symptoms are mild, but his family is told by his
physician that he will become more and more disabled with time.
Close to the time that she learns about her father, Olive reads an article in the
local newspaper about a research project being run at a local university. A team of
researchers, led by Dr. Brutus, have applied to the federal and state governments for
permission to do a study with Parkinson's victims. She visits with Dr. Brutus to learn
more about the disease. During the course of their discussions, she finds out that
Parkinson's can be reversed by implanting fetal brain cells in the brain of the patient. The tissue comes
from embryos that are the result of in vitro fertilization in which donated eggs are fertilized outsid the
body. The stem cells are taken from a cluster of undifferentiated cells in the three to five day old
embryo.Olive is very interested in the procedure, and can't wait to tell her father. She
wants her father to live his last few years without this debilitating disease, and does not
know what else to do to help her father. However, she knows he has ethical questions about
the use the fetal tissue because the embryo is destroyed in the process and will not develop into a living
organism.
Links For Research
1.http://www.brookscole.com/chemistry_d/templates/student_resources/0030244269_campbell/HotTopi
cs/fetal_tissue.html - Fetal Tissue Facts
2. http://www.theinterim.com/issues/fetal-rights/fetal-tissue-transplants/ - Fetal Tissue Research
3. http://www.scienceblog.com/community/older/2001/D/200114134.html - Science Blog on Fetal
Tissue Transplantation
4. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fetal+tissue+transplant – Fetal Tissue Transplantation
definition
5. http://www.woodrow.org/teachers/bi/1992/fetaltissue_transplants.html - Background Info on Fetal
Tissue Transplantation. You will find the important information in the middle of a project for biology
students.
6. http://www.ascb.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=359&Itemid=31 – Fetal
Tissue Transplantation Facts
7. http://www.woodrow.org/teachers/bi/1992/fetaltissue_legal.html - The legal aspects of Fetal Tissue
Transplantation. You will find the information in the middle of a project for biology students.
8.http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=oLl_UtXftvUC&oi=fnd&pg=PA103&dq=fetal+tissue
+transplantation&ots=XKw8d10FOZ&sig=1YAOVY22qU8kJENzRIKHIof8hrw#v=onepage&q=fetal
%20tissue%20transplantation&f=false – Scholarly Article on Fetal Tissue Transplantation
SCENARIO 2: Growth Hormone Therapy
Bobby K is a healthy 10-year old boy. He is very agile and quick and loves
sports. The coach of his city league basketball team has told Bobby's parents that their
son's skills on the court are astounding for a child of his age.
Bobby's father, Mr. K., is a health man who is 5'3" tall. Bobby's mother is also
short, only 5'0". Bobby's pediatrician has predicted that Bobby will attain an adult
height of about 5' 3" but has emphasized to his parents that he is a normal, healthy boy.
Mr. K. remembers being teased constantly about his size and recalls that his lack of
height kept him off all the varsity sports teams at his high school. He has often wondered
if his shortness is a disadvantage to him in business dealings too. Mr. and Mrs. K. both
anticipate that their son will be the recipient of more and more pointed teasing as he
reaches his teenage years. They also fear that he will not be selected for the basketball
team when he reaches junior high or high school.
Bobby's coach has heard of a program at the local university in which gene
therapy is being conducted on children who have a disease that results in the inadequate
production of growth hormone. The children are being given working copies of the gene
for human growth hormone, and the levels of growth hormone in their bodies have
increased. These children's growth rates have also increased.
Bobby's coach tells the K. family about what he has heard. Bobby is thrilled,
because he might be able to keep playing basketball, maybe even on a professional level.
Bobby's parents are more cautious but would like their son to be spared the pain of being
much smaller than his classmates.
The K.'s go to Bobby's pediatrician and request that Bobby be given the growth
hormone gene therapy.
Links for Research
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Growth_hormone_treatment - Growth Hormone Treatment Wiki
2. http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/endocrine/hypopit/gh.html - Growth Hormone Facts,
Diseases and Treatments
3. http://children.webmd.com/news/20081106/growth-hormone-therapy-ups-kids-height - Growth
Hormone Ups Kids Weight
4. http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/growth-hormone-deficiency/overview.html - Growth
Hormone Deficiency Overview
5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Growth_hormone_deficiency - Growth Hormone Deficiency
6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Growth_hormone - Growth Hormone
7. http://archpedi.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/156/3/230 - Scholarly Article on Growth Hormone
Therapy
SCENARIO 3: Designer Genes
Wilson and Kate have decided to have a baby. They are discussing the
questionnaire that Kate received from the reproductive technology firm, "Select a Kid."
“Here's the chance I've been waiting for. I can have a son!" said Kate. "But I
always wanted to have a daughter," exclaimed Wilson.
"I want him to be muscular," she said. "That's not important," he said. "I want
my child to be gifted artistically."
Kate said, "Let's stop arguing and look at all of the other options available.
There's height, hair color, eye color, body shape, IQ, physical abilities, talents. What
kind of baby should we have?"
Links for Research
1. http://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/genetic-inequality-human-genetic-engineering-768 Designer Genes Facts and Info
2. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/designer+gene – Designer Gene Definition
3. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_engineering – Genetic Engineering Definition and Info
4. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/pros-and-cons-of-designer-babies.html - Pros and Cons of Designer
Babies
5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Designer_baby - Designer Baby Wiki
6. http://www.brighthub.com/science/genetics/articles/22210.aspx - Pros and Cons of Genetic
Engineering in Humans
7. http://www.actionbioscience.org/biotech/agar.html - Designer Babies Actionbioscience
8. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090126100642.htm - Designer Genes Scholarly
Article
Name:
Research/Argumentative Essay
Quality
Strongest:
Adequate:
 Grabs
 States the
P1
reader’s
thesis, but
INTRODUCT
attention
problem not
ION

P2
HISTORY/T
OPIC
BACKGROU
ND
P3 PRO
/CONARGU
MENT
P4
PERSONAL
VIEW
P5
CONCLUSIO
N
Comments:
Clear
definition of
problem in
thesis
statement
Shows relevant
and accurate
understanding
of information
completely
clear
Weakest:

Thesis
and/or
problem is
unclear or
not related
to topic.
POINTS
______/5
ADEQUATE
WEAK
______/5
Addresses the
best arguments
of the
opposition
ADEQUATE
WEAK
______/5
Makes a
convincing
point
Demonstrates
significant
reflection &
awareness.
* Conclusion
summarizes
main topics
without
repeating
sentences.
* Includes a
memorable
thought,
suggestion
for change,
call to
action, or
interesting
quote.
ADEQUATE
WEAK
______/5
* Summarizes
main topics,
but is
repetitive
* No
concluding
memorable
thought
included.
* Conclusion
is missing or
not
adequate.
______/5
TOTAL
POINTS
____/25