Centers
About Biotechnology Impacts Center
Scientific and Societal Accountability
The Biotechnology Impacts Center (BIC) is an academic research unit associated with the Institute for Integrative Genome Biology and the Center for Social and Economic Policy at the University of California, Riverside. This arrangement serves to keep the Center at an objective distance from the scientific research conducted by the Institute and to recognize the meaningful contribution that social scientists, humanists, business experts, educators, and others can make to inform the responsible use of biotechnology in society. Established in 2001, BIC serves as a forum to identify the relevant policy issues, to both gather new information and act as an information clearinghouse, and to initiate research that addresses the impacts of biotechnology. The result is an informed dialog among public interest groups, the biotechnology industry, academics, elected officials, and policy makers.
Training and Education
BIC also has an important educational mission to disseminate knowledge and address concerns about new and emerging developments in biotechnology. At both the graduate and undergraduate levels, courses will be available in public policy related to such issues as bioethics, scientific responsibility, and the controversy surrounding genetically modified organisms. The Center hopes to provide modest financial and academic support to graduate students in the humanities, the social sciences, and the life sciences and seeks to encourage and enrich faculty mentoring of graduate students. BIC also encourages the creation of hands-on research opportunities for undergraduate students. Finally, the Center will offer a wide variety of additional support services to faculty, students, and the general public. Ultimately, these will include a visiting speakers’ forum, a seminar program, a web-based working paper series to disseminate pre-publication findings of ongoing research projects, and conference support.
Listed below is a sampling of graduate classes currently offered that explore the impacts of biotechnology. To search further, please visit UCR's Schedule of Classes and search in subject area under Botany/Plant Science.
BPSC 240 Special Topics in Plant Biology: The Benefits and Risks of Agricultural Biotechnology. Addresses major topics related to genetically modified organisms and the impacts of biotechnology in crop improvement. Previously co-hosted by such prominent speakers as Lawrence Michael Busch, director of the Institute for Food and Agricultural Standards at Michigan State University and Jane Rissler, deputy director and senior staff scientist with the Union of Concerned Scientists.
BPSC 021 California's Cornucopia: Food from the Field to Your Table. Examines California's diverse agricultural products. Addresses related contemporary issues such as crop improvement by biotechnology, climate change, pollution, resource use, and nutrition. Also examines how the interplay of geography, history, and culture shapes the cuisine of a region.
BPSC 011 Plants and Human Affairs. An introduction for nonscience and non-Botany majors to the importance of plants and plant products in the shaping of human affairs and civilization. Covers the origin and practice of agriculture; the utilization of plant products; the latest agricultural advances, including genetic engineering; and the current agricultural and social issues. Plants and plant products are examined during class demonstrations and exercises.
BPSC 153 Plant Genomics and Biotechnology. A study of modern techniques in plant genome modification. Topics include nucleic acid cloning and sequencing, plant tissue culture and genetic transformation, controlled-environment plant growth, gene mapping, and germplasm collections. Also explores the history of plant biotechnology; economic, agricultural, nutritional, medicinal, and societal relevance; and regulatory issues.