Iranian American Nita Farahany Appointed to the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues

May 11, 2010, Washington D.C. – On April 7, 2010, Iranian American Nita Farahany was appointed to the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues by President Barack Obama. The commission advises the President on bioethical issues that may emerge from advances in biomedicine and related areas of science and technology. The commission works to identify and promote policies and practices that ensure scientific research, health care delivery, and technological innovation are conducted in an ethical manner.

Dr. Farahany is an Associate Professor of Law and Philosophy at Vanderbilt University. Her research focuses on the legal, philosophical, and social issues arising from developments in the biosciences, particularly behavioral genetics and neuroscience. She graduated from Dartmouth College with a B.A. in genetics, cell and developmental biology, and from Harvard University with an A.L.M. in biology. Dr. Farahany earned her J.D., M.A., and Ph.D. in Philosophy of Biology and Jurisprudence at Duke University.

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