It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Friday, November 14, 2025
Ethics should lead, not play catch-up, Hiroshima University expert emphasizes as Japan panel OKs making human embryos from stem cells
A leading bioethicist at Hiroshima University is calling for an anticipatory, rather than reactive, approach to ethics after a Japanese government panel in August backed a report that brings the country a step closer to becoming the first in the world to allow research on human embryos created from stem cell–derived sperm and eggs.
In a correspondence article titled "Ethics must keep pace with embryo research" published in the journal Nature (Vol. 646), Hiroshima University Professor (Special Recognition) Tsutomu Sawai cautions that science is advancing faster than society’s ability to debate its implications. He urges ethicists to “engage in forward-looking debate to prevent researchers from rushing into controversial experiments.”
He points to the 2018 gene-edited babies scandal as a cautionary example of what can happen when technology outpaces ethical review. In that case, a Chinese scientist announced the birth of the world’s first gene-edited babies, the result of experiments using the CRISPR-Cas9 tool to make embryos resistant to HIV. The researcher drew global outrage for the risky experiments on human embryos that flouted established ethical norms and oversight expectations.
“An anticipatory approach is needed: to assess social effects early, define boundaries in plain language and design governance that can evolve as evidence develops. It should include safeguards against misuse, and clear red lines for any credible signs of sentience,” Sawai said.
“The goal is not to restrain science but to guide it with foresight.”
According to the Japan panel’s report, culturing embryos in the laboratory will be limited to 14 days, and implantation into a human or animal uterus will be prohibited. So far, it is not yet feasible to create lab-grown sperm and eggs from human pluripotent stem cells, such as iPS cells. However, it is expected to become possible in about five years, an advancement that could accelerate research on treatments for infertility and genetic disorders.
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About Hiroshima University
Since its foundation in 1949, Hiroshima University has striven to become one of the most prominent and comprehensive universities in Japan for the promotion and development of scholarship and education. Consisting of 12 schools for undergraduate level and 5 graduate schools, ranging from natural sciences to humanities and social sciences, the university has grown into one of the most distinguished comprehensive research universities in Japan. English website: https://www.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/en
Tsutomu Sawai declares the following positions: member, Asian Bioethics Network, established under the Bioethics Advisory Committee (BAC), Singapore; deputy editor, JME Practical Bioethics; committee member, Third-party Committees on Cell Manufacturing Contract from Commercial Institutions (The CiRA Foundation, Kyoto University); committee member, Institutional Ethics Committee, Center for iPS Cell Research and Application, Kyoto University; committee member, Institutional Review Committee for the Use of iPS Cell Stock (The CiRA Foundation, Kyoto University). All of these positions are unpaid and unrelated to the content of this publication.
FAU study finds small group counseling helps children thrive at school
FAU College of Education researchers found small group counseling improves sixth graders’ emotional skills, school connectedness, and engagement, supporting social and academic growth.
Across the United States, children spend more than 1,100 hours in school each year – time that shapes not only their academic success but also their emotional and social growth. Yet, for many students, the school environment can also be a source of anxiety and apprehension. School counselors play a pivotal role in addressing these challenges through evidence-based, comprehensive guidance programs.
Addressing this critical need, researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s Department of Counselor Education within the College of Education conducted a qualitative study to explore how participation in the Student Success Skills (SSS) small group counseling intervention influences middle school students’ sense of connectedness to their school environment, guided by the Advocating Student-Within-Environment (ASE) theory.
Working with sixth graders in the Southeastern U.S., the research team collected data through pre- and post-intervention interviews, field notes, session transcripts, student-generated drawings and counseling activities. They used thematic analysis to identify key patterns and themes of how the intervention helped students develop anger management, academic and life skills – abilities that, in turn, would strengthen their engagement and perception of school climate.
The results of the study, published in the Journal of Child and Adolescent Counseling, identified four key outcomes: improved anger management and conflict resolution, the development of academic and life skills, increased feelings of connectedness and safety, and more positive perceptions of the overall school environment. Students learned practical emotional regulation strategies, such as positive self-talk and seeking peer support, and engaged in role-playing exercises to practice conflict resolution and goal setting.
As the sessions progressed, students’ drawings and interview responses reflected a noticeable shift – from neutral or negative portrayals of school to images and statements highlighting friendship, belonging and motivation to learn.
“As the students became more connected to one another, so did their sense of contribution and compassion, which extended far beyond the school environment,” said Elizabeth Villares Sacks, Ph.D., co-author and chair and professor, FAU Department of Counselor Education. “Small group counseling provided students with far more than strategies for managing emotions and relationships – it offered them a space to feel seen, heard and valued. Through these shared experiences, students began to recognize their own strengths and see themselves not just as learners, but as capable, compassionate contributors within their school communities and beyond.”
Findings revealed notable growth in trust and community among group members. Students collaboratively developed confidentiality agreements and group norms, creating a safe space for authentic sharing and peer support. By cultivating social-emotional and academic skills, this approach enhances engagement, connectedness and perceptions of school climate. Overall, the results highlight the effectiveness of ASE-based small group counseling in promoting students’ emotional and academic development and suggest the need for further research on its broader systemic impact in schools.
“Interventions grounded in ASE not only support students’ emotional growth but transform how they experience their school environments,” Villares Sacks said. “When students feel connected and understood, they become more engaged learners and more compassionate peers.”
The study was conducted during the 2023-24 school year and involved five sixth-grade students who were identified as being at academic or behavioral risk. Over six weekly sessions, a trained school counselor led the students through the SSS small group intervention, focusing on anger management, goal setting, social problem-solving and self-management.
Study co-authors are Kadeem Campbell, Ph.D., senior author who received his Ph.D. from FAU in 2023; Hannah Bowers, Ph.D., associate professor of school counseling; and Greg Brigman, Ph.D., all within the FAU Department of Counselor Education.
Integrating small group counseling into evidence-based school counseling programs enables counselors to help students build supportive peer relationships, develop essential skills, and strengthen their sense of belonging.
The authors recommend further research on the long-term and systemic effects of ASE-aligned curricula, along with expanded training for counselors in evidence-based group facilitation. Their findings affirm that school investments in counselor-led interventions grounded in empathy, connection and collaboration foster stronger, more resilient learning communities.
- FAU -
About the College of Education:
In 1964, Florida Atlantic University’s College of Education became South Florida’s first provider of education professionals. Dedicated to advancing research and educational excellence, the College is nationally recognized for its innovative programs, evidence-based training, and professional practice. The College spans five departments: Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Leadership and Research Methodology, Special Education, Counselor Education, and Communication Sciences and Disorders, to prepare highly skilled teachers, school leaders, counselors, and speech pathologists. Faculty engage in cutting-edge research supported by prestigious organizations, including the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Education, and the State of Florida.
About Florida Atlantic University:
Florida Atlantic University serves more than 32,000 undergraduate and graduate students across six campuses along Florida’s Southeast coast. Recognized as one of only 21 institutions nationwide with dual designations from the Carnegie Classification - “R1: Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production” and “Opportunity College and University” - FAU stands at the intersection of academic excellence and social mobility. Ranked among the Top 100 Public Universities by U.S. News & World Report, FAU is also nationally recognized as a Top 25 Best-In-Class College and cited by Washington Monthly as “one of the country’s most effective engines of upward mobility.” As a university of first choice for students across Florida and the nation, FAU welcomed its most academically competitive incoming class in university history in Fall 2025. To learn more, visit www.fau.edu.
Logs are a familiar sight on the beaches along the coast of Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii and are often viewed positively, as they can stabilize the banks, be used for firewood or act as benches by beach-goers. However, new research from the University of Victoria (UVic) shows that these logs are not as innocuous as they seem.
According to a study published by UVic biologist Tom Reimchen and two of his students, free-floating logs that wash ashore, referred to as drift logs, are causing widespread destruction of rocky intertidal ecosystems communities along the coast of Western Canada.
“In this study, we looked at both the ecological impact of drift logs, and at log abundance and movement over time,” says Reimchen. “Both aspects of the study had worrisome results.”
While drift logs may seem rather stable to the casual observer, more than 90 per cent of logs are displaced annually, and log movement during storms is frequent and extensive. This movement disrupts the ecological environment in the intertidal zone—the stretch of beach between the highest high tide and the lowest low tide.
Reimchen found that populations of barnacles, a key intertidal species, are 20- to 80-per-cent lower on surfaces that are exposed to logs compared to protected crevices. The interstitial spaces between the barnacles, which support a variety of small invertebrates, are negatively impacted as well. While new barnacles settle every year, they are removed regularly with seasonal movement of the logs.
Many shorebird species, such as black oystercatchers, surfbirds, black turnstones and rock sandpipers, rely on the rocky intertidal zones for food. Researchers suspect the loss of barnacle beds and interstitial invertebrates due to log abrasion has likely contributed to the decline of shorebird populations. Since 1970, there has been a 50-per-cent drop in some of the shorebirds.
“Drift logs cause persistent and cyclical damage to the intertidal environment along the BC coast,” says Reimchen. “And the problem has only gotten worse over the last century, as the number of drift logs along the BC coast has been steadily increasing.”
“We need to recognize drift logs as a significant ecological disturbance, comparable to ice-scouring or heatwaves,” says Reimchen. “It’s critical that we begin reducing the number of drift logs added to the marine environment and begin introducing conservation measures to protect organisms in the intertidal zone.”
This research, published in Marine Ecology, supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) No. 11 (life below water). Learn more about SDGs at UVic.
