The mission of the University of Toronto MHSc in Bioethics International Stream is to strengthen individual and institutional leadership capacity in bioethics, with particular emphasis on research ethics, in low- and middle-income countries. We work in partnership with existing and emerging programs in strong institutions in the developing world to identify leaders who will make those programs successful and sustainable.

The proposed CWRU training grant in international research ethics builds upon and expands a highly successful international research training program, funded by the Fogarty International Center for a total of six years, and longstanding relationships with our overseas collaborating institutions. The training program includes trainees from Nigeria, Russia, and Romania in a Master's degree program in Bioethics and, in addition, offers one in-country certificate program per year.

The Mentored Scientist Development Award in Research Ethics will fulfill three main goals: 1) to obtain a broad and in-depth foundation in research ethics and to develop research skills in ethical reasoning and analysis in order to become a resource for those pursuing biomedical research; 2) to build a research program on the ethical implications of human genetic variation research for social distributive justice; and 3) to become an independent investigator in the field of research ethics upon the completion of this career development award.

Accompanying the increase in research activities worldwide, particularly in developing countries where the citizens are poor, vulnerable and un-empowered, is increasing concern about the ethical nature of these studies, the rights of participants, the need to protect vulnerable populations, issues relating to benefitssharing, equity and justice. It has therefore become necessary to equip researchers, particularly in developing countries with state-of-the-art knowledge of research ethics.

In its first five years, the CWRU Center for Genetic Research Ethics and Law (CGREAL) explored a range of ethical, legal, and policy issues in the design and conduct of genomic gene-discovery research. We now propose to follow the trajectory of genomics into its "translational" phase, where its expanded research needs and higher clinical aspirations are creating new ethical, legal, and policy challenges.

The mission of the proposed Center for Genetics Research Ethics and Law (CGREL) is to foster sustained interdisciplinary research on the ethical, legal, and social issues involved in the design and conduct of human genetics research with individuals, families, communities, and populations. CWRU already hosts a variety of research efforts relevant to the CGREL's theme. The CGREL will integrate these efforts to launch new research collaborations and provide the resource structure necessary for their application to high priority genetics research policy questions.

The Center for Integration of Research on Genetics and Ethics (CIRGE) was established in 2004. The overall goal of CIRGE is the proactive identification and integration of ethical, legal and social considerations into the design and conduct of current and emerging genetic research. Our thematic focus is on genomics of behavioral traits.