Charles Susanne – författare

This volume is dedicated to the study of growth and development from the points of view of public health and epidemiology. Many scientists agree that human physical growth and development represent a sensitive response to environmental conditions. From an epi­ demiological point of view, physical growth and development can be taken as a primary measure of the level of public health or of the quality of the environment. Reduced growth, smaller body size for instance, can be regarded as a response to adverse environmental conditions, as an indicator of environmental pressures. On the other hand, physical growth and development can also be viewed as development plasticity and as a strategy for human adaptation. However, various environmental ef­ fects cannot be isolated from the genetic factors which determine the individual background and the potential limits of growth. The aim of this volume is to evaluate these genetic and en­ vironmental influences as well as their interactions. Methodological work is therefore necessary, including, among others, mathematical methods summarizing the growth curve of an individual and predictinB the adult stature from measurements taken during childhood. Of course, methodological aspects are also implied in the way sampling is done and in the way surveys are conducted. And last but not least, methodological aspects are involved in the estimation of heritability during growth and development.

This volume is dedicated to the study of growth and development from the points of view of public health and epidemiology. Many scientists agree that human physical growth and development represent a sensitive response to environmental conditions. From an epi­ demiological point of view, physical growth and development can be taken as a primary measure of the level of public health or of the quality of the environment. Reduced growth, smaller body size for instance, can be regarded as a response to adverse environmental conditions, as an indicator of environmental pressures. On the other hand, physical growth and development can also be viewed as development plasticity and as a strategy for human adaptation. However, various environmental ef­ fects cannot be isolated from the genetic factors which determine the individual background and the potential limits of growth. The aim of this volume is to evaluate these genetic and en­ vironmental influences as well as their interactions. Methodological work is therefore necessary, including, among others, mathematical methods summarizing the growth curve of an individual and predictinB the adult stature from measurements taken during childhood. Of course, methodological aspects are also implied in the way sampling is done and in the way surveys are conducted. And last but not least, methodological aspects are involved in the estimation of heritability during growth and development.

Las posibilidades terapéuticas que ofrece la nueva genética son ingentes, pero, a su vez, inquietantes. La investigación y experimentación genéticas provocan grandes expectativas, pero también más reticencias que ninguna otra revolución técnica de la historia precedente. Y es que, realmente, es mucho lo que hay en juego. Hablamos de poder alterar y modificar no sólo la naturaleza exterior, vegetal o animal, sino también nuestra propia naturaleza humana. Además, el acceso y el uso de la información genética pueden dar lugar eventualmente a situaciones lesivas para el ámbito de la privacidad e intimidad genética, por medio de discriminación o estigmatización. De ahí la conveniencia de ponderar, valorar y prevenir los posibles efectos que puedan provocarse. Y de ahí también la pertinencia de reflexionar, albergar e integrar en las oportunas coordenadas jurídicas el curso de la investigación y la aplicación genéticas. Éstas son las 10 palabra claves que se desarrollan en la obra: Nueva genética, regulación jurídica y privacidad (Francisco Javier Blázquez-Ruiz); Proyecto Genoma Humano: un punto de vista antropológico (Charles Susanne y Esther Rebato); Embrión (Carlos María Romeo Casabona); Células madre (Vicente Bellver Capella); Clonación (Lydia Feito Grande); La eugenesia y sus sombras (Ascensión Cambrón Infante); Los derechos humanos (Jesús Aquilino Fernández Suárez); Dignidad humana y genética (Rafael Junquera de Estéfani); Generaciones futuras (Gilbert Hottois (Legislación sobre técnicas de reproducción asistida (Marcelo Palacios).