melatonin matters & more

DNA research has truly yielded extraordinary results. It was only a few years ago that the human genome was coded. Now, research seems to show that race isn't merely a matter of the epidermis.

... new research is exploring the remaining fraction to explain differences between people of different continental origins.

Scientists, for instance, have recently identified small changes in DNA that account for the pale skin of Europeans, the tendency of Asians to sweat less and West Africans’ resistance to certain diseases.

At the same time, genetic information is slipping out of the laboratory and into everyday life, carrying with it the inescapable message that people of different races have different DNA. Ancestry tests tell customers what percentage of their genes are from Asia, Europe, Africa and the Americas. The heart-disease drug BiDil is marketed exclusively to African-Americans, who seem genetically predisposed to respond to it. Jews are offered prenatal tests for genetic disorders rarely found in other ethnic groups.

Though we may be different, we have still been fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) by God.

Center for Bioethics at Cedarville University

A recent newspaper headline reads: "Researchers extract stem cells from human amniotic fluid." The article explains that scientists obtained stem cells from human amniotic fluid without harming the child or its mother. The extracted cells were then grown into other highly specialized tissues, including brain cells, liver cells, and bone. So goes the weekly stream of news concerning life issues with ethical implications.

How should Christians respond? Should we embrace those breakthroughs with few ethical concerns, or should we condemn them as violations of the sanctity of life? What is the science involved? What does Scripture teach?

To engage complex questions like these from a biblical perspective, Cedarville University launched the Center for Bioethics in October 2006. The Center influences students, leaders, healthcare professionals, and the general public through sound biblical scholarship, compelling presentations, and cultural engagement on key issues in bioethics.

The development of the Center for Bioethics is a natural outgrowth of Cedarville's outstanding academic reputation in the sciences, our commitment to biblical integration, and our desire to engage the culture with the heart and mind of Christ.

The Center is funded solely by individuals and organizations who share the vision of bringing a Christian perspective to this dialogue and who partner with us through prayer and financial support.

To learn more about the Center and how you can be involved, visit www.cedarville.edu/bioethics

This information taken from the Cedarville University Torch, Spring-Summer 2007, pp. 16-17