- The first UNAM student to obtain a double degree valid abroad was Elisa Constanza Calleja Sordo.
- He did a postgraduate degree in Health Sciences from the Master’s and Doctorate programs in Medical, Dental and Health Sciences at UNAM; and Logic and Philosophy of Science from the University of Salamanca in Spain.
- He conducted research on editing the heritable human genome, analyzed from bioethics.
Education is a mandatory part for anyone interested in the field of health. It is a process that cannot be avoided, although the appropriate tools must also be offered to young people. That is why when you graduate from the university you can continue with your studies in different ways. With this in mind, one of UNAM’s most recent initiatives is a new program for its students to obtain a Double degree valid abroad.
Who accomplished this feat?
As a result of the above, today it was announced to the first young woman to benefit from this program. Is about Elisa Constanza Calleja Deafwho conducted research on the heritable Human Genome Editing, analyzed from bioethics. Thanks to his thesis, he obtained his degree from the UNAM and also by the University of Salamanca, Spain (USAL).
He earned his Ph.D. from both institutions through the postgraduate degree in Health Sciences, by the Master’s and Doctorate programs in Medical, Dental and Health Sciences of UNAM; and Logic and Philosophy of Science from USAL.
His cutting-edge research comprehensively analyzes the modification of germ cells, to eliminate any disease that has been identified in the parents, in order to have a healthy offspring.
If any of the people know that you have Huntington, for example, will search for a genome edit. That is to say, that the gene responsible for this disease be removed so that their daughter or son is born healthy, explained the university student.
At your reception job “Editing the human genome analyzed from bioethics”, prepared jointly with Jorge Linares Salgado, from UNAM, and Ana Cuevas Badallo, from USAL, Elisa Calleja presents bioethical recommendations that she considers helpful in the well-being of the participants. That is, the parents or future parents who seek to have a child, or the person born as a result of the intervention.
What analyzed part of the so-called “Principle of responsibility”, posed by the German philosopher Hans Jonas, and the concept of “Guilty Ignorance” of the American Holly Smith.
“I delve into the role and responsibility that future parents have in this entire process. Of course we need doctors and the training they have, but also as a future mother or father, I need information; that is to say, we must not completely delegate the responsibility that such a procedure implies”.
The agreement by which the university has a joint degree was established in the first quarter of 2019 between UNAM and USAL, for the confirmation of shared postgraduate courses in the various areas taught in both institutions.
“It was a long process, but other points of view, other ways of working helped me a lot. In Salamanca I was with more Philosophy students who worked on topics other than mine, which is Bioethics, and I was able to consider their opinions, broaden the panorama, and in this way my work was complemented”.
What is gene editing?
According to the aforementioned thesis, it is a molecular tool that allows making changes in DNA by removing, incorporating or replacing it in a specific place; Different procedures have been developed and are continually being improved.
This technique has allowed great changes to be made in biology, biomedicine and biotechnology, such as the creation of drought-tolerant plants.
However, any type of molecular tool for modifying the human genome has been the center of debate. Although it is presented as an alternative to treat and/or cure genetic diseases, it is also questioned whether it should be used to genetically intervene in people’s reproductive cells: ovules, sperm and/or embryos, which makes the modifications be heritable.
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