Technology has made it possible for humans to use organs from pigs — but many people are curious about the next step in the process.

The third annual Iowa State Bioethics Symposium titled “Ethics and Xenotransplantation: Should we use animal organs to save human lives?” will address the ethical issues associated with cross-species transplantation on Saturday in the Molecular Biology Building auditorium.

The spring symposium is an opportunity for faculty and students to address some of the implications of the new technology in the area of animal genetic engineering, said Gary Comstock, coordinator of the Bioethics Program and associate professor of religion.

The committee chose to address xenotransplantation because companies have begun to undertake the project, said Clark Ford, associate professor of food science and human nutrition.

Xenotransplantation is a technology associated with the cloning of animals, Comstock said. For example, once a pig is created with a liver that is compatible to humans it can be cloned and replicated to use in many people.

Speakers during the symposium will include a director of organ transplantation, an industry representative in research and development and two philosophy professors.

Ford said the workshops will look at questions like “When is it ethical to kill animals?”, “What are you called when an animal organ is working in your body?” and “Are human lives more important than animal lives?”

Comstock said he hopes people get a sense of the issues involved in addressing the relative value of human and animal life.

“We ordinarily assume the value of humans is incomprehendible and we assume that the values of animals is zero,” Comstock said. “I hope as a result of this symposium people gain a better appreciation of human and animal life.”

Ford said he hopes about 75-100 people participate in the symposium. The symposium is open to the public and will take place Saturday from 8:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. The $5 registration fee includes lunch. Ford said he will also accept late registrations.

The symposium is sponsored by the Bioethics Program and several departments and colleges.

The Bioethics Program started in 1987 as a result of the Biotechnology Program funded through the Iowa Legislature. The Legislature mandated an investigation into the ethical and social questions associated with agricultural biotechnology.

“Our mission is to encourage conversation about genetic engineering in animals and plants,” Comstock said. “The program has helped more than 70 faculty over 10 years introduce discussion of ethics into their science classes.”