Student Research Projects and Theses – Centre for Ethics and Law in the Life Sciences

General Information

At CELLS, we are always welcome to supervise your final thesis. However, some requirements have to be fulfilled:

The supervision of a thesis at CELLS requires prior consultation with the supervisor.
The deadline for completion and the date of submission must be communicated to us (Important: This only applies to final theses. There are deadlines set by CELLS for term papers - see below).

Important: Bachelor's and Master's theses must be registered with the Academic Examination Office using a separate application form! You can find the form on the pages of the Academic Examination Office.

Participation in the thesis colloquium (Abschlussarbeitenkolloquium) is mandatory if you wish to write your bachelor's or master's thesis at CELLS.

To the thesis colloquium

Further Information

Further information about student research projects and theses at CELLS can be found in our Teaching manual.

Open

Here you will find all important information and documents on the subject of Coursework (SL) at CELLS.

Öffnen

Here you will find all important information and documents on the subject of Examination Performance (PL) at CELLS.

Open

The period for working on thesis in the Summer Semester 2024 at CELLS is between 25.07.24 - 22.08.24.

Dissertation

Maria Lorenz: Ethical and legal aspects of fertility treatments in European comparison, especially retention periods of embryos

Maria Lorenz is pursuing her PhD in "Ethics and Law in the Life Sciences" under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Nils Hoppe on a publication basis. Her research focuses on ethical and legal aspects of retention periods and storage conditions of embryos and germ cells. Her scientific work will not only focus on the German legal situation, but also take a comparative law approach in a European context."

Duration: 2022 - expected 2025
Jürgen Robienski & Martin Wasmer: Legal Issues of Genome Editing in Plants and Animals

This project evaluates the current national and European legal situation regarding new genome editing technologies (GE). The central question of the project is whether GE should be considered as an instance of the category of genetic modification technologies (legally framed by European Directives 2001/18/EC, 2009/41/EC, or the German GenTG), of the category of traditional breeding techniques (legally framed by various agricultural laws and food-standard laws), or of a sui generis category of new genome editing technologies.
Conceptual ontological work will be done on the categories of Genetic modification, Genetically modified organisms, GE and Genome Edited Organisms, in order to provide an in-depth analysis as base for legal classification. Additional topics that are addressed in this project are biosecurity, biosafety, relevant fundamental rights and consumer protection, with regard to the proposed classification of GE.

Duration: 2017-2022
Koko Kwisda: New Relevant Ethical Aspects Regarding Stem Cell Research And The Creation Of Chimeras

This PhD project is concerned with human-animal chimera research and the bioethical debate surrounding it. The research focuses on the philosophical analysis and systematisation of arguments against chimera research in the bioethical literature.
Therefore, a systematic review of ethical arguments regarding chimera research will be conducted. This review will examine what arguments are presented and will analyse them on three levels: arguments that are only mentioned, arguments that are considered invalid and, finally, genuine arguments or arguments that are considered valid. On the basis of this, further arguments will be evaluated that are considered to be particularly valid or useful.

Duration: 2013-2022
Sara Röttger: Ethics and Law in the Life Sciences

She is doing a publication-based PhD under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Nils Hoppe in the doctoral subject "Ethics and Law in the Life Sciences".

In this context, she is pursuing research on the patenting of genetically modified organisms, the prohibition of hybrid and chimera formation of § 7 ESchG in the light of humanized animals and on the moral status of the latter.