Publications by authors named "Steven Seet"
Article Synopsis
- Genome Resources Banks (GRBs) are essential for collecting and managing genetic material to protect biodiversity for research and conservation purposes.
- They help in species preservation and genetic management, particularly for endangered animals, by storing genetic information securely to counteract population risks.
- The article discusses the ethical concerns around wildlife biobanking practices and suggests using a tool called ETHAS to ensure these procedures maintain high ethical standards throughout their development and operation.
Article Synopsis
- ARTs, initially used for domestic and lab animals, are now being applied in wildlife conservation to enhance genetic management and increase population numbers.
- The use of ARTs in wildlife raises ethical concerns that haven't been thoroughly examined yet.
- This study introduces an ethical analysis framework based on the Ethical Matrix (EM) and uses ovum pick-up (OPU) procedures for the northern white rhinoceros as a case study to guide similar assessments for other endangered species.
Article Synopsis
- - The mass extinction of animal species, driven largely by human actions like habitat destruction, is leading to a significant loss of biodiversity globally.
- - Traditional zoo breeding programs are evolving to incorporate assisted reproduction technologies (ART), including techniques like artificial insemination and in-vitro embryo generation, to help conserve endangered species.
- - Advanced ART methods, such as cloning and stem-cell techniques, are being developed to further support species preservation, utilizing cryopreservation and biobanking to maximize genetic diversity and improve the chances of restoring populations.
More than 60% of the 1,700 infectious diseases that affect human come from animals and zoonotic pandemics, after starting from sporadic phenomena limited to rural areas, have become a global emergency. The repeated and frequent zoonotic outbreaks such as the most recent COVID-19 pandemic can be attributed also to human activities. In particular, the creation of enormous intensive domestic animal farms, the indiscriminate use of antibiotics, the destruction of forests, the consumption of the meat of wild animals and the illegal animal trade are all factors causing the insurgence and the transmission of zoonotic diseases from animals to humans.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAn Ethical Assessment Tool (ETHAS) to Evaluate the Application of Assisted Reproductive Technologies in Mammals' Conservation: The Case of the Northern White Rhinoceros ().
Animals (Basel)
January 2021
Assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) can make a difference in biodiversity conservation. Their application, however, can create risks and raise ethical issues that need addressing. Unfortunately, there is a lack of attention to the topic in the scientific literature and, to our knowledge, there is no tool for the ethical assessment of ARTs in the context of conservation that has been described.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWith only three living individuals left on this planet, the northern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum cottoni) could be considered doomed for extinction. It might still be possible, however, to rescue the (sub)species by combining novel stem cell and assisted reproductive technologies. To discuss the various practical options available to us, we convened a multidisciplinary meeting under the name "Conservation by Cellular Technologies.
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