The closing decades of the 20th century saw unprecedented advances in the biomedical field. From artificial tissue regeneration, to the sequencing of the human genetic code, to in vitro fertilization and genetic engineering, this new knowledge now allows man to change the very essence of his physical body. Such novel technologies can bring new hope in the fight against illness, but it can also be misused to the detriment of many. Should we manipulate the human genome in order to breed “better” human beings? Should we terminate the life of a “brain-dead” person, or should we maintain him on life-support for innumerable years? It is precisely such questions that people are faced with more and more often, and many look to the Church to provide some form of guidance.
The School of Bioethics at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv, Ukraine, has organized a full-year academic program culminating in a Certificate in Bioethics. It targets primarily health care workers (physicians, nurses, hospital administrators), social workers, lawmakers, medical chaplains and biologists. It provides over 240 hours of lectures, seminars and discussions on a wide array of subjects, such as the basic foundations of Christian morality, the psychology of illness, molecular biology, medical law, end-of-life, to name a few. It is the only such program in the entire former Soviet Union, and is led by rev. dr. Ihor Boyko, Dean of the Faculty of Philosophy and Theology, and the head of the UCU’s Chair in Bioethics.
In May 2011, I had the honor and opportunity to deliver a series of three lectures on molecular biology and diagnostics at the UCU’s School of Bioethics. It was quite an emotional experience, since it was the first time that I would be lecturing at the UCU in my mother tongue, Ukrainian. I was born in Montreal, and although I am fluent in Ukrainian, I studied molecular biology in French and English, not in Ukrainian. Therefore, the biggest challenge was to find Ukrainian terminology for my lectures. Molecular biology is a very new science, and much of its terminology is English. The field evolves very rapidly, and it can be quite challenging for other languages to translate the new terminology on a daily basis. The internet dictionaries became an invaluable tool in my quest for Ukrainian translation.
I had visited Ukraine several times in the past and was therefore familiar with the city of Lviv, where my paternal grandfather was a merchant and my maternal grandfather studied theology for priesthood at the Lviv Theological Academy, the predecessor to the UCU. The Faculty of Philosophy and Theology is housed at a new campus in a state-of-the-art facility just south of downtown Lviv, with the Theological Academy buildings a stone’s throw away. Last November the Prime Minister of Canada, the Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper had visited the UCU in order to honor it as an exemplary institution that champions moral and democratic values.
The first lecture I prepared dealt with fundamental molecular biology: the human genome, gene transcription and translation, cell replication, and the basic genetic mutations (translocations, deletions, duplications, etc). At first I felt a bit awkward, since it was the first time I was lecturing this subject in Ukrainian. There were a few geneticists and molecular biologists in the audience, and they kindly helped me out with the proper terminology.
The second lecture dealt with a research project with which I am involved at McGill University’s Division of Experimental Medicine. My colleague, Dr. Pierre Laneuville has pioneered a novel experimental cord blood transplantation for leukemia patients involving pooling of several dozen cord bloods and transplanting them simultaneously into one patient. My laboratory was performing molecular analyses that follow stem cell engraftment in these patients. Thus, I presented to the audience the applications of molecular biology in stem cell transplantation.
My third and final lecture given the next evening dealt with an overview of targeted therapies in cancer treatment. This is a very novel field of medical diagnosis and treatment, and has spearheaded the search for “designer drugs” – medication that is individually tailored against a very specific cancer in individual patients. Targeted therapy relies of the identification of distinct and unique mutations and/or genetic polymorphisms that characterize a tumor. Then, specific drugs are produced that interact and eliminate only the tumor tissue, leaving all other normal cells intact. This form of therapy has made great advances and promises to be the treatment of choice in the coming years.
The three lectures were followed with a very lively and lengthy discussion about the merits of molecular biology, and the various bioethical challenges related to such a powerful technology. Rev. Boyko showed superb mastery of the field, and was able to provide very sound scientific arguments to certain dilemmas. Although I had been exposed to bioethics in the past, I found Rev. Boyko’s approach very insightful and intelligent. He would approach the questions scientifically, and then apply a Christian perspective to the solution. I was surprised to see how much the Catholic Church had researched the various subjects and was able to provide sound advice and guidance.
Next year, I have been invited again to give a series of lectures on molecular biology and diagnostics, and I accepted the invitation with great pleasure.
Information (in Ukrainian) about this Program in Bioethics can be found here: http://ucu.edu.ua/library/announcement/2634/
A short description (in Ukrainian) of the lectures in molecular biology can be found here: http://ucu.edu.ua/news/4641/
Written by Dr. Yury Monczak
Interesting report. Hopefully this program will expand to involve most health care workers.
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