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Midday on Ethics: Dr. Jeffrey Kahn on the perils of biological research

An artist's rendering of the original SARS-CoV-2 virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. (CDC)
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A computer rendering of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. There is still debate within the scientific community over the precise origins of the virus. Some continue to believe it might have been released accidently from a Chinese research laboratory studying the virus in animals. (image credit: CDC)

Johns Hopkins University
Dr. Jeffrey Kahn is director of the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics. (credit JHU)

Today on Midday, it’s another installment in our occasional series, Midday on Ethics.

A computational biologist from Johns Hopkins namedSteven Salzberg published a commentary last week on the Hub, a Johns Hopkins University news website, in which he warned of the dangers of creating “superbugs” in labs for purposes of research.

Dr. Salzberg has long been a critic of so called “gain of function” research. What is that, and why do others share Dr. Salzberg’s concerns?

That’s where we’ll begin today on this edition of Midday on EthicsTom's guest is our good friend Dr. Jeffrey Kahn, the director of the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics.

Dr. Jeff Kahnjoins us today in Studio A.

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Host, Midday (M-F 12:00-1:00)
Teria is a Supervising Producer on Midday.
Rob is a contributing producer for Midday.