Bioethics: Ethics of Genetic and Genomic Testing and Research

Genetic and Genomic Testing and Research (GGTR) plays a crucial role in understanding and addressing genetic conditions and diseases. These fields involve the study of an individual’s genetic makeup and the broader genomic landscape, as well as the development of new diagnostic tools and treatments tailored to an individual’s genetic profile.

As with any medical testing and research, ethical considerations are paramount. How can an individual’s rights and autonomy be respected? How do we prevent widening health disparities due to differences in socioeconomic status or ethnicity?

About the Speakers

Emeritus Professor Lee Eng Hin, BAC Chair, GGTR RG member

Lee Eng Hin is an Emeritus Professor in Orthopaedic Surgery at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Emeritus Consultant in Orthopaedic Surgery at the National University Hospital. He specialises in Paediatric Orthopaedics and is the former Dean of NUS Medical School. Emeritus Professor Lee is the current Chair of the Bioethics Advisory Committee (BAC), Singapore, and has served on the BAC since 2002. He has also been a member of the UNESCO International Bioethics Committee (IBC) since 2020 and has received four public service awards, including the Public Service Star, for his contributions to Singapore. 

Adjunct Associate Professor Tan Ee Shien (RG member)

Adjunct Associate Professor Tan Ee Shien is the Head of SingHealth-Duke Genomic Medicine Centre and the Head of Service and Senior Consultant for Genetics Service in KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital. She is also the Genomics Co-Lead at SingHealth Duke-NUS Maternal and Child Health Research Institute. She is the Deputy Chief Medical Officer of the national precision medicine programme, Precision Health Research Singapore (PRECISE). She was also the Director of the National Newborn Screening Programme in Singapore from 2011 to 2023. She is passionate about ensuring that all patients with genetic diseases have access to the best care available.

Associate Professor Lai Poh San (RG Chair)

Associate Professor Lai Poh San is a faculty member at the Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS. She is the Deputy Chair of the NUS Institutional Biosafety Committee and heads the Human Molecular Genetics Lab of the Department of Paediatrics. Her work focuses on neuromuscular disorders, congenital diseases, and undiagnosed disorders. Her other interests include behavioural genetics and exploring psychosocial, lifestyle and biological determinants related to various traits. She is a member of the BAC, Singapore and chairs the Genetic and Genomic Testing and Research Review Group.

Professor Kazuto Kato (BAC’s International Panel of Expert (IPE) member for the Human Nuclear Genome Editing project)

Professor Kazuto Kato, Ph.D., is a Professor of biomedical ethics and public policy at the Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, and a visiting academic affiliate of the Centre for Health, Law, and Emerging Technologies (HeLEX) at the University of Oxford. Professor Kato specialises in biomedical ethics, research governance and patient involvement in medical research. Since June 2023, he has been the team leader of the Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications (ELSI) group of “The Action Plan for Whole Genome Analysis”, a project funded by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan.

Dr Goh Liuh Ling (RG member)

Dr Goh Liuh Ling is the Laboratory Director of the Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory and Scientific Officer for Personalised Medicine Services at Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH). She joined TTSH in 2014 and oversees the development and expansion of molecular diagnostics for clinical use. Her clinical and research interests focus on pharmacogenomics and early disease detection. Dr Goh received her PhD in microbiology from the National University of Singapore in 2006 and continued her postdoctoral training in molecular cell biology at A*STAR’s Institute of Medical Biology. She is also the author and co-author of more than 45 peer-reviewed papers.

About the Moderator

Professor Patrick Tan Boon Ooi (RG member)

Professor Patrick Tan is the Senior Vice-Dean (Research) at Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore and Executive Director of the Precision Health Research Singapore (PRECISE), coordinating Singapore’s national precision medicine programme. He received his B.A. (summa cum laude) from Harvard University and MD PhD degree from Stanford University. In 2018, he received the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Team Science Award as Team Leader. He is an elected member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI), the Association of American Physicians (AAP), the Bioethics Advisory Committee (BAC), and is on the Board of Editors for the journal Science and Cancer Discovery.

About Bioethics

Bioethics is the study of ethical, legal and social issues arising from advances in biomedical sciences and research. It provides a framework that enables us to think through and make practical, reasonable decisions on controversial ethical issues in biomedical advancements.

This programme highlights the trends, developments and ethical challenges in human genome editing. To find out more, visit the Bioethics Corner (at Level 7 of the National Library) set up in collaboration with the Bioethics Advisory Committee, supported by the Ministry of Health, Singapore.