62079 - Ethics and Bioethics

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student will have acquired knowledge of the professional competencies, responsibilities, and ethical obligations of the profession.

Course contents

This course is part of the integrated course Human and Occupational Sciences.
Specific contents of this course include:

Foundations and history of Bioethics and professional deontology; ethical decision-making in the laboratory; ethics of research and scientific communication; ethics and laboratory practice: genetic diagnosis, predictive testing and neonatal screening, management and storage of biological samples, biobanks, anonymization, secondary use of material, artificial intelligence in the laboratory and human responsibility.

Readings/Bibliography

The Power point presentations used in class and the supplementary materials presented during the course represent the reference bibliography.

All materials will be made available after each lesson on the Virtual space.

The following reading is recommended as supplementary material:

Carla Faralli, Per una bioetica laica. Scenari e prospettive di una società plurale, Giappichelli 2026

Teaching methods

During the lessons, the topics covered by this syllabus will be developed. In-depth discussions will be carried out through the analysis of articles and guided case studies.

Interdisciplinary seminars will also be organized.

Assessment methods

For the purposes of the assessment of the Integrated Course HUMAN AND WORK SCIENCES (recording professor: Prof. Monica Navilli), the partial results obtained in the individual tests of the courses making up the integrated course will be taken into account, with a weighted average based on the respective credits (CFU).

Specifically, the exam for for the course Ethics and Bioethics (part of the integrated course SCIENZE UMANE E DEL LAVORO) will take place in oral form. The material to be studied for the oral examination will be presented in detail during the first lesson. Exams for the courses belonging to the integrated course SCIENZE UMANE E DEL LAVORO can only be taken after meeting the minimum attendance requirement (65%) for in-person lectures, calculated over the entire integrated course.

The dates of the exam sessions within each exam window will be published on the page of the professor responsible for recording grades (Prof. Monica Navilli), under "Appelli" (Exam Dates), as well as on the Almaesami platform. Registration for the exam must be completed through the Almaesami application (https://almaesami.unibo.it/almaesami/welcome.htm).

Students who, due to disability, specific learning disorders (SLD/DSA), or temporary or permanent disabilities, require compensatory or alternative tools may communicate their needs to the Professor in order to agree on the most appropriate measures.

It is also recommended to contact the relevant University office in good time (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/it): this office will propose any necessary adaptations to interested students, which must in any case be submitted, at least 15 days in advance, for the Professor's approval, who will assess their appropriateness also in relation to the course's learning objectives.

Teaching tools

The slides and scientific articles used during the lectures will be made available through institutional tools such as the Virtuale platform, along with other materials considered useful and used during the course.

Office hours

See the website of Ludovica De Panfilis