Generic Student + Book
Generic Student + Book

Research Areas

Duke researchers examine how genetics and the law interact and shape each other.

Both Duke Law School and Science & Society faculty study the privacy of genetic information and the ability to patent genes, which have been impacted by Congressional legislation and Supreme Court decisions, respectively. Faculty also explore the implications of biosciences and emerging technologies, like neural imaging, on the law through research in neuroethics. Other research questions examine regulatory issues associated with drugs, biologics, and genomic research; intellectual property law; the relationship between parents and the state as it concerns child welfare; sibling organ donation; regulating off-label uses of pharmaceuticals; the protection of human subjects; and the implications of defining biological sex in law and policy. These endeavors are aimed at creating policy mechanisms for promoting scientific and technology innovation.

In addition to conducting research, Duke faculty also serve on nationally prominent organizations, including the Innocence Project and the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues.

Participating Faculty

Representative Courses

  • Advanced Issues in Children and Family Law (Law)
  • Advanced Issues in Wrongful Convictions (Law)
  • Bioethics & the Law (Law)
  • Criminal Law (Law)
  • Ethics and the Law of Lawyering (Law)
  • Genetics & the Law (Law)
  • Genetics and Reproductive Technologies (Law)
  • Innovation in the Life Sciences Industries (Law)
  • Law and Genomic Sciences (Law)
  • Patent Law and Policy (Law)
  • Science Law & Policy (Law)

Relevant Links