Wilson will lead genetics preceptorial

Penn researcher James M. Wilson, currently the target of a federal investigation, has never discussed publicly his 1999 gene therapy study which resulted in the death of 18-year-old Jesse Gelsinger. Nevertheless, Wilson -- who is the head of Penn's Institute for Human Gene Therapy -- has been chosen to teach a preceptorial on the very subject in which the Food and Drug Administration is questioning his ability to conduct research. Wilson, who was one of the most respected gene therapy researchers in the nation prior to the Gelsinger controversy, is slated to teach about 100 students in next semester's preceptorial, titled "Human Gene Therapy." "The guy is obviously a brilliant man with a lot of knowledge in the field," said Paul Gelsinger, whose son Jesse became the first known person to die from gene therapy treatment. "But I doubt he has a total ethical grasp of the work he's doing." The FDA charges that Wilson "failed to adequately protect the safety and welfare of subjects" and that he "submitted misleading and inaccurate statements" to Penn's review board. The agency also alleges that Gelsinger was enrolled in the study despite medical test results indicating his ineligibility. Last November, a civil lawsuit filed by the Gelsinger family against Wilson, Penn and several other scientists and institutions was settled for an undisclosed sum. Gelsinger, a self-made lobbyist for stronger federal oversight of gene therapy trials, questioned whether Wilson is fully qualified to teach the preceptorial. "All Jim demonstrated to me was a huge concern with losing his life's work, not the life of my son," Gelsinger said. "There's a real imbalance there." The course, to be offered next semester, enjoyed an overwhelming response during Penn's advance registration period by students wishing to enroll. "The response was over 10 times the capacity registered for" the preceptorial, said Meredith Chiaccio, chairwoman of the preceptorials program. "There's going to be a lot of questions thrown out there," said Chiaccio, a College junior. "The discussion, I imagine, is going to be pretty engaging." Despite Chiaccio's hope for a discussion of the Gelsinger case, however, there is some question whether Wilson will even address his tragic study. "My guess is, Jim won't [know] until a week before he starts it," Provost Robert Barchi said. The framework of the preceptorial program allows faculty a wide latitude as far as class structure and subject is concerned. "They're not necessarily formal topics," Barchi said of the typical preceptorial offering. "They're solicited by [the Student Committee on Undergraduate Education] and organized by SCUE without any involvement by the administration." Chiaccio acknowledged that, despite her optimism, she cannot guarantee Wilson will mention the September 1999 death of Jesse Gelsinger. "He's never been willing to come out publicly and address what happened," Paul Gelsinger said of Wilson. "It would be a huge letdown if students got into the class with him and were not able to address [the case]," Chiaccio said, adding that she understood the position Wilson is in. "Here's a guy whose career is in jeopardy," she said. Jeffrey Kahn, director of the University of Minnesota's Center for Bioethics, was confident Wilson will carefully tread the line between delivering information and defending himself. "He's not trying to pass himself off as something he's not," Kahn said. But Wilson's controversy is exactly what prompted students to push for the preceptorial. According to Chiaccio, Preceptorial Committee member and College sophomore Aaron Short approached Wilson to teach the course in an attempt to develop a forum for a discussion of the Gelsinger case. "We look for professors who attract a lot of news themselves," Chiaccio said, adding that this was "one of the driving forces behind asking Dr. Wilson to participate in this." Wilson is currently in the midst of FDA proceedings aimed at disqualifying him from ever again conducting human gene therapy research. But, even considering the FDA proceedings -- which can continue into the fall semester -- Chiaccio said that ethical concerns were minimal. "When we originally heard from Aaron that he had gotten hold of James Wilson, we were excited," Chiaccio said. "The ethical concerns... honestly, there weren't a whole lot of them." "Controversy, in a sense is good, because I guarantee you there are going to be students in that class wanting to know his side of the story," Chiaccio added. In an e-mail statement, Chiaccio later expressed concern regarding the appearance of insensitivity on the part of the preceptorial program. "I don't want us to be painted as callous students who are willing to do anything to get students' interest," she wrote.

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