Stem Cells: A Very Short Introduction

Stem Cells: A Very Short Introduction explains what stem cells are, why they are important, what scientists do with them, and how they might be used in the future. It tackles recent scientific and clinical developments surrounding stem cells, exploring their enormous therapeutic potential to treat diseases, such as macular degeneration, diabetes, and Parkinson’s disease. It also provides cautions against false claims from some clinics offering treatments and draws out lessons for the development of new stem therapies in the future. The VSI deals with the science and medicine of stem cells rather than with ethics, law, or politics.

The Human Genome Organisation (HUGO) and the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic

This letter is the Human Genome Organisation’s summary reaction to the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. It identifies key areas for genomics research, and areas in which genomic scientists can contribute to a global response to the pandemic. The letter has been reviewed and endorsed by the HUGO Committee on Ethics, Law and Society (CELS) and the HUGO Council.

Ästhetische Staaten

Friedrich Schiller, the grand master of the classical aesthetic of autonomy, was also a political thinker. In the 1790s, reading Immanuel Kant upset him, as did the French Revolution: abuse of power, political resistance, conspiracy and tyrannicide are just a few of the genuinely political themes that he repeatedly varies in literary terms. The articles in this volume consider the connection between the political, legal and ethical dimensions of Schiller's work. In addition to his 'big' dramas as well as his philosophical and historical writings, they examine the nexus of ethics, law and politics at the 'margins' of his work, in both his short works and his literary fragments. With contributions by Oliver Bach, Antonino Falduto, Maria Carolina Foi, Markus Hien, Matthias Löwe, Vincenz Pieper, Jens Ole Schneider, Michael Schwingenschlögl, Sebastian Speth, Gideon Stiening and Ludwig Stockinger.