Editorial: Animal Genomes, Bodies and Tissue in Science and Society

The papers in this issue address the field of animal biotechnology and, particularly, animal genomics. Together they seek to understand the context and shaping of the science of animal genomics, reflect on connections between this science and the social position and cultural construction of animals and human-animal relationships, and explore current and future regulation and policy. Each paper emerged from a multi-disciplinary workshop convened by the ESRC Genomics Policy and Research Forum, University of Edinburgh to discuss animal genomics in April 2006. Some participants at the workshop, and some authors here, have long been interested in animal genomics and biotechnology, whilst others were asked to bring knowledge developed in other fields and with other case studies.