OPPORTUNITIES, CHALLENGES, AND ETHICS EVA CHOCHOLOVÁ LABORATORY OF BIOLOGICAL AND MOLECULAR ANTHROPOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY ETHICS REGULATION • Unlike medical research, archaeological sources are excluded from oversight, no permission usually needed officially • Palaeo-omics need to govern their own: • Professional organisation guidelines • Reviewers • Museums • Funding organisations • Collections • … MAIN ETHICAL ISSUES • Consent • Destructive methods • Data access and sharing • Accountability to stakeholders • Engagement of stakeholders • Environmental impact STAKEHOLDERS • Individuals, groups, or organizations with an interest or influence in the research, application, or outcomes of palaeo-omics studies • Scientists • Research institutions • Funding agencies • Indigenous and local communities, descendants • Museums, collections (curating and displaying) • … ChatGPT: EXAMPLES OF ETHICAL GUIDELINES EXAMPLES OF ETHICAL GUIDELINES EXAMPLES OF ETHICAL GUIDELINES ? EXAMPLES OF ETHICAL GUIDELINES EXAMPLES OF ETHICAL GUIDELINES EXAMPLES OF ETHICAL GUIDELINES EXAMPLES OF ETHICAL GUIDELINES EXAMPLES OF ETHICAL GUIDELINES EXAMPLES OF ETHICAL GUIDELINES EXAMPLES OF ETHICAL GUIDELINES To aid the process of community engagement, we offer these guiding questions for paleogenomic researchers to consider: 1. In the absence of known descendant or culturally affiliated communities, which Indigenous peoples, tied to land where ancestors were buried, will be consulted? 2. Who is the appropriate community body (e.g., tribal council, tribal IRB, elders) or representative (e.g., tribal president, historic preservation officer) to initiate discussions with about paleogenomic analyses? 3. What are potential ethical pitfalls of this research or harms that could affect the community? What cultural concerns of the community, such as destruction of ancestral remains, need to be considered? 4. How will the community benefit from the paleogenomic research? 5. How will the community provide input on study design and interpretation of results? How frequently does the community wish to be contacted during the project? 6. When community members participate directly in the project (e.g., as advisers or laboratory technicians), will they coauthor research publications and presentations? How do communities and individuals wish to be recognized in research products? 7. What happens after the project ends? Who will have access to the data generated? How will remaining samples from ancestors be handled, stored, returned, or reburied? REPRESENTATION • Different institutions • Different countries • Different regions • Quality vs availability REPRESENTATION • Different institutions • Different countries • Different regions • Quality vs availability • Co-authorship, involvement of local scientists REPRESENTATION Brunson and Reich, 2019; DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2019.02.006 REPRESENTATION • Different institutions • Different countries • Different regions • Quality vs availability • Co-authorship, involvement of local scientists • Interdisciplinary cooperation and respect • Various groups represented vs protected Fleskes et al., 2022; DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genom-120621-090239 Fleskes et al., 2022; DOI: 10.1146/annurev-genom-120621-090239 REPATRIATION AND REBURIAL • Who should own and curate an artifact? Remains? • Locals? • Discoverer? • Descendants? • …? • Identification often complicated or impossible • Protection of repatriated artifacts – refusal in cases where the display and technology is insufficient • Often artifacts acquired during war or colonialism/imperialism ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT • Energy consumption • Waste generation • Carbon footprint Trypsin digestion in ZooMS Plates vs microtubes ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT - CONSERVATION WHERE TO GO FROM HERE • To go • Not to go ! • Reporting of negative results • Underrepresentation • Humane approach as much scientific