Professor Ikemoto discusses biohackers at University of Minnesota

On April 3, Professor Lisa Ikemoto gave a talk at the University of Minnesota titled “Biohacking and Cyborg Rights: Coping with Promise and Peril.”

Ikemoto discussed do-it-yourself biologists, including people who insert magnets, RFID chips, lasers and genes into their bodies seeking to enhance human capacity and in some cases, redefine themselves as cyborgs. She also examined the potential dangers of DIY bio as well as the possibility for building a new relationship between science and society that focuses on knowledge creation, equality and justice.

Lisa Ikemoto, Martin Luther King, Jr. Professor of Law at UC Davis School of Law, has written extensively on genetic and reproductive technology, the regulation of fertility and pregnancy, and race and gender disparities in health care. Her current work examines emerging issues in regenerative medicine, including stem cell research, and the human tissues market.