Info.from Genetic Alliance UK - Can we get any smarter? Cognitive enhancement and public health

Can we get any smarter? Cognitive enhancement and public health.


Genetic Alliance UK would like to invite you to attend our first Café Scientifique event as part of a European project we are involved in to explore the future of neuro-enhancement.


When: Tuesday 30th September 2014 at 7pm
Where: The Cittie of Yorke, 22 High Holborn, London, WC1V 6BN
Who: Dr Alex McKeown, University of East London

There is no need to book, just turn up on the night!


Public health enhancement is commonplace: vaccinations to prime the normal immune system and water fluoridation programmes to impede normal wear and tear of teeth are just two everyday examples. Cognitive ability is intrinsically important to human flourishing and many everyday strategies improve it - regular exercise, a good diet, even a cup of coffee. Drugs which can enhance cognitive ability are also available. This talk will consider whether potentially more powerful techniques, for example genetic or technological enhancements, also be made available? If so, what kinds of enhancements should these be?

Dr McKeown is a post-doctoral researcher in the University of East London's Institute for Health and Human Development. He holds a PhD in Biomedical Ethics from the University of Bristol on the subject of human enhancement and previously spent several years working in education and policy research in genetics. He is currently researching ethical issues in healthcare economics relating to non-pharmaceutical strategies for improving community mental health and well-being.
This research project has received funding from the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme.