An Interfaith Discussion: The Ethics of Preimplantation Genetic Testing
Image credit: Human Embryo for IVF, by K. Hardy. Wellcome Collection.
Thursday 26 February 2026, 7.15pm
Uehiro Oxford Institute, 16-17 Saint Ebbe's St, Oxford OX1 1PT
All are welcome, no registration is required.
Convenor: Andrew Moeller, Project Leader, Biotechnology and the Humanities, TORCH
As biotechnologies advance, many ethical questions take on a new sense of urgency. This conversation brings together diverse religious perspectives on preimplantation genetic testing (PGT), exploring how ancient moral and spiritual frameworks might respond to these novel interventions in human life. The discussion will consider wide-ranging questions about the nature of human limits, moral responsibility, dependence, vulnerability, and the very meaning of life itself.
This event is supported by the Oxford Medical Humanities Research Hub and the Uehiro Oxford Institute.
Panelists
Dr Mansur Ali is a Senior Lecturer in Islamic studies at Cardiff University where he teaches Islam and ethics, and Islam in Britain. He has multiple research interests including Hadith studies, Islamic legal theory, Muslim chaplaincy, and Islam and bioethics. Currently he is writing his book on Islam and organ donation. In addition to his post at the University, he is also an Imam in the local mosque.
Brahmacharini Shripriya Chaitanya | Chinmaya Mission UK
Brahmacharini Shripriya Chaitanya is a Hindu monk, Vedantic teacher, author, and internationally recognised storyteller with Chinmaya Mission, a global organisation rooted in the wisdom of Advaita Vedanta and dedicated to inner growth and self-understanding. Having completed an intensive two-year Vedanta programme at Chinmaya Mission’s Sandeepany Sadhanalaya in Mumbai, she is now the resident teacher of Chinmaya Mission UK. Today, she is invited to share timeless wisdom across a wide range of forums, including leading corporations and public platforms, offering perspectives that help people better understand themselves and navigate today’s complexity with clarity, steadiness, and insight. A contributing author to ‘The Woman Seeker’, a regular voice on BBC Radio 4’s ‘Prayer for the Day’, and host of the podcasts ‘Living Ramayana’ and ‘That Heroic Fish’, her work also extends to organisational and leadership contexts, including talks and workshops at Barclays, PwC, and Deloitte.
Dr Jonny Torrance is the chaplain and Lord Crewe Career Development Fellow at Lincoln College, University of Oxford. As Chaplain, Jonny provides pastoral support to the whole College—including students, Fellows, and staff—while also overseeing the chapel and leading services. He is always available for conversation over a hot drink. He grew up in Edinburgh and came to Oxford to study History at St Peter’s College. After graduating, he spent five years working as a youth worker in Switzerland before moving to Cambridge in 2017 to train for the priesthood. Rediscovering the library inspired him to continue with a PhD in Theology while also serving a curacy. He subsequently worked for a year as assistant chaplain at Jesus College, Cambridge, before joining Lincoln College in 2024.
Medical Humanities Research Hub, TORCH Research Hubs
