The Ethics of Research at the Intersection of Functional Genomics and Artificial Intelligence
Year: 2025
Type: report
Abstract: The ProblemThe field of functional genomics aims to examine the biological systems that contribute to particular phenotypes based of varying genomes. 1 Functional genomics builds off the Human Genome Project's legacy of discovery-driven scientific inquiries to understand how and when genes are expressed, regulated, and interconnected.2 Recently, functional genomics researchers have sought to couple high-throughput experimental technologies with computational methodologies based on machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI).This has brought to light a confluence of novel ethical tensions, 3 arising from the intersection of basic biology, computer science, and AI. 4 Much attention has been dedicated to the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) and challenges associated with implementing interventions that result from genomics-related research, such as those advancing precision medicine.The ethical issues associated with bench science at the early stages of the AI lifecycle have received less attention and merit further examination, as addressing issues early on can mitigate downstream challenges, including those related to equity and privacy.
Institutions: Hastings Center, University of California San Diego
Language: English
Subfield: Safety Research
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Funder: National Institutes of Health
OpenAlex ID: W4414150340