U of M Professor Appointed to National Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (June 29, 2006) – Jeffrey Kahn, Ph.D., M.P.H., director of the Center for Bioethics and professor in the department of medicine at the University of Minnesota has been selected to serve on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Recombinant DNA Advisory Committee (RAC) effective September 1, 2006.

Established in 1974, the RAC oversees human gene-therapy research in the United States and provides recommendations to the NIH regarding safety standards for the manipulation of genetic material through the use of recombinant DNA techniques.  In addition to publishing the NIH Guidelines for Research Involving Recombinant DNA Molecules, the RAC reviews human gene transfer research on behalf of the NIH.  The RAC is comprised of experts in scientific and medical fields, as well as ethicists and members of patient and other lay communities.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, human gene-therapy research involves the replacement of a person's faulty genetic material with normal genetic material to treat or cure a disease or medical condition.  The clinical research evaluated by the RAC could one day produce effective treatments for genetic disorders, cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Kahn earned a doctorate in bioethics and philosophy from Georgetown University and a masters in health policy from Johns Hopkins University.  He received a bachelors in microbiology from the University of California, Los Angeles.  Kahn investigates ethics in human research, genetics, public health, biotechnology, and organ transplantation.  In 1998, he published a book exploring justice and research ethics entitled “Beyond Consent: Seeking Justice in Research.”

The Academic Health Center is home to the University of Minnesota’s six health professional schools and colleges as well as several health-related centers and institutes. Founded in 1851, the University is one of the oldest and largest land grant institutions in the country. The AHC prepares the new health professionals who improve the health of communities, discover and deliver new treatments and cures, and strengthen the health economy.

Contact: Liz Bryan, Academic Health Center, 612-624-5680
Amy Devore, Academic Health Center, 612-626-4784