Some of Australia's leading medical historians will be at UQ on Friday October 19 to attend a major symposium on the use of human body parts in medical science, past and present.

Dr Sarah Ferber, symposium coordinator and medical historian from UQ's School of History, Philosophy, Religion and Classics, said the forum was open to the public and would look at the achievements and controversies associated with the use of human body parts.

Dr Ferber said visiting historian Dr Helen MacDonald, author the award-winning Human Remains, will headline a series of papers aimed at bringing together research on the history of anatomy and modern bioethics.

"The forum spans two and a half centuries of western medicine, beginning with accounts of the still-controversial procurement of indigenous Australian bodily remains by early scientists and ending up with analysis of modern transplants and IVF donor programs.," Dr Ferber said.

"Medical science cannot move forward without the vision of researchers and the generosity of human subjects.

"Sometimes these values coalesce but at other times, the pursuit of the ends can lead to the sidelining of ethics about the means."

Dr Ferber said one of the key features of the day will be a presentation about the history of the UQ Anatomy Donors Annual Thanksgiving Service.

"Through this annual ceremony, UQ plays its own major part in acknowledging the importance of the role of donors in furthering medical science, and especially medical education," Dr Ferber said.

"We wanted to ensure that the forum was a time for celebration as well as reflection.

"The Thanksgiving ceremony is one of the great historical initiatives of this university, and its coordinator, Leo Brown, will be telling us about its history.

"This symposium is in keeping with UQ's continued work generating dialogue between the humanities and the sciences."

Date and time: Friday, October 19, 2007, 9.15am to 4.45pm
Venue: Centre for Critical and Cultural Studies Seminar Room, (402) Forgan Smith Building Tower, University of Queensland. (disabled access via the FS building central lift).

The University of Queensland, Brisbane Australia
uq.edu.au