Contested Bodies: Property Models and the Commodification of Human Biological Artefacts

摘要

Over the past decade collections of archived human body parts have undergone a series of transformations. One of the most significant, but under-researched of these is the transformation that has occurred in the material condition, state or form of these collections. While the impulse to preserve human organs and tissues for pedagogical, diagnostic and research purposes has been central to medical practice for two and a half centuries, new technologies and practices are now revolutionizing the ways in which these organs and tissues may be stored and made available for use. Existing collections of whole archived organs are being continually reworked in response to changing scientific and medical demands. Many are being progressively commuted into a series of new biotechnological artefacts: cryogenically stored tissue samples, cell lines, isolated sequences of DNA, scans, digital images and technoscientific 'tools' such as genetic test kits.