The Islamic Organization for Medical Sciences (IOMS), Kuwait has the pleasure to announce that IOMS in collaboration with Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organiztion (ISESCO), and the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office (EMRO), is going to convene an international seminar on "Human Genetic and Reproductive Technologies: Comparing Religious and Secular Perspectives" from 6 to 9 February 2006 in Cairo, Egypt.

ABSTRACTS OF THE PRESENTED PAPERS

Plenary Lecture:Human Genetic Reproductive Technologies: Comparing Religious and Secular Perspective - An Islamic Perspective
- Dr. Hassan Hathout, U.S.A.

Session - 1:

"Given into Your Hands" (Gen 9:2) From Gardener to Master of Nature
- Dr. Bruce Foltz, U.S.A.
Rethinking the Secular Perspective on Biology: Going Beyond the Monopoly of Materialism
- Dr. Mustafa Akyol, Turkey.
Man, Instinct, Nature and Technology
- Dr. Ammar Al-Talbi, Algeria.

Session - 2:

"Creation and Man: a Christian View"
- Dr. Cyril Tennant, U.K.
Humanity and Creation: An Islamic Perspective
- Dr. Jamal A. Badawi, Canada.
The Creation of Man in his Natural Image.
- Dr. Nasr Farid Wasil, Egypt.

Session - 3:

Science, Capitalism and the Control of Nature (Not presented in the seminar)
- Dr. David King, U.K.
Humanity and Creation/The Natural Disposition of the World
- Dr. Assaad El Sahmarani, Lebanon.
Islamic Perspective on God, Humanity and Nature
- Dr. Muzaffar Iqbal, Canada.

Session -4:

Human Genetics and Reproduction from the View Point of the Three religions
- Dr. Abdul Rahman Mohd. Refai, Egypt.
Surrogacy: An Islamic Ethico-Legal and Social Perspective
- Dr. Abulfadl Mohsin Ebrahim, South Africa.

Session -5:

Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD)
- Dr. Lisa Lehmann, U.S.A.
Ethical Problems of Prenatal and Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis.
- Dr. Mounir A.M.S. Farag, Egypt.
Human Reproduction: Current Problems.
- Sheikh Mohd. Mokhtar Al-Salami, Tunisia.

Session - 6:

Islamic Perspectivs of Ethical Issues in ART.
- Dr. Gamal I. Serour, Egypt.
Assisted Reproductive Technologies.
-Sheikh Mohamed Ali Al-Taskheeri, Iran.
Human Genetics and Reproductive Technologies: How They Reflect on the Family
- Dr. Saddiqa Al-Awadi, Kuwait.

Session - 7:

Christian Principles for Assisted Human Reproduction.
- Dr. Gerald Winslow, U.S.A.
Human Genetics and Reproductive Technologies: An Islamic Perspective.
- Dr. Mohamed Ali Al-Bar, K.S.A.
The Islamic stance on Human Genetics and Reproductive Technologies.
- Dr. Abdul Sattar Abu-Ghuddah, K.S.A.

Session - 8:

The Neglected Contributions of Islamic Civilization to Genetics and Reproductive Biology.
- Dr. Malik Badri, Malaysia.
Contributions of Genetic Engineering Research to understand Islam as believe with facts in Quran and Sunna.
- Prof. A. Farouk Gad, Malaysia.

Session - 9:

Human Genetic and Reproductive Technologies - A Secular Perspective
- Dr. Shahid Athar, U.S.A.
Jewish Attitudes Towards Reproductive Technologies and Genetic Parenthood
- Dr. Vardit Ravitsky, U.S.A.
Human Genome: Social and Ethical Implications.
- Dr. Hamid K. Ahmed, U.K.

Session - 10:

Reprogenetics and Genetic Counseling: Scientific and Ethical Perspectives.
Dr. Aly A. Mishal, Jordan.
Designing Children: Modern Genetic Screening Technology and Jewish Law.
- Dr. Michael Broyde, U.S.A.
A Right to Reproduce: Equality Not Liberty.
- Dr. Muireann Quigley, U.K.

Session - 11:

Genetic Engineering, Social Justice, and the Future of Humanity: Confluence of Religious and Secular Concerns.
- Dr. Farhat Moazzam, Pakistan.
Recent research on "Telomerase" enzyme, and the concept of "immortality".
- Dr. Omar Alfi, U.S.A.
Human Cloning from the view point of Fiqh (Shariah) and Ethics.
- Dr. Mohaqeq Al-Damad, Iran.

Session - 12:

Human Creation and where and when we draw the lines, Islamic Perspective.
- Dr. Ibrahim Badran, Egypt.
Where the Catholic Church Stands on genetic Issues.
- Bishop Camillo Ballin, Kuwait.
Our Humanness: Unalterable Essence and Changeable Actuality.
- Dr. Jaafar Sheikh Idris, K.S.A.

Session - 13:

The Stem Cell Controversy: Secular Form and Religious Substance.
- Dr. Ted Peters, U.S.A.
Stem Cell Research.
- Dr. David Bleich, U.S.A.
Stem Cells and DNA: Modern Ethical Challenges.
- Dr. Maher Hathout, U.S.A.

Session - 14:

Islamic Medical Ethics Amidst Developing Biotechnologies.
- Dr. Musa Mohd. Nordin, Malaysia.
Stem Cells and Cloning Similarities and Differences
- Dr. Abdul Aziz Al-Swailem, K.S.A.
Laboratory and Ultrasound Prenatal Diagnosis: Prenatal Genetic Diagnosis: scope, Applications and Limitations in Arab Countries.
- Dr. Hanan Hamamy, Jordan.

Session - 15:

The Challenges of Science and Technology from an Islamic Perspective
- Dr. Mohamed Abdul Wahab Galal, Egypt.

....... Stay tuned for the link updates ......