This past semester I decided to go outside my academic comfort zone and take a History of Science class, which was recommended to me by a friend. I am very glad I took the class – the topics were interesting and the professor was amazing, would recommend with enthusiasm.

Despite this, I am an English major at heart, always have been and always will be. So when one of the essays on the final exam had a creative aspect, I took it where any English major would have taken it – to the literary world.

The prompt was to draft the “perfect” consent form for participants in genomic sequencing project, taking into account what information needs to be included and issues of genomic sovereignty, ownership of genetic data, patient privacy, social and ethnic inclusion, and informed consent. The prompt was set up that we could either create a group and write the perfect consent form for them or write a more traditional essay addressing how these issues would be handled in the perfect form. I decided to go the creative route – why write a traditional essay when you do not have to? – but instead of creating my own fictional group, I decided to tap into my literary love and write a consent form for an already famous fictional group. The result is below. I had a lot of fun preparing this “essay” and writing it.  If my teaching fellow was a fan of the series, this would be a hit; if not, well…thankfully, this was an elective class.

Genomic Research Consent Form for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry

The following are the elements that would be necessary to include in a research consent form for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry:

1. Purpose: The purpose of this research is to discover the “Wizard” gene. By sequencing British Wizard DNA and testing it against British Muggle DNA, it may be possible to discover what genetic differences or similarities exist between Wizards and Muggles.
2. The samples provided for this study will not be used for any other purpose or testing without further consent from the participants.
3.  Procedure: Researchers will come to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to collect saliva, hair, and blood samples from students, faculty and staff. The DNA from these samples will then be sequenced. The genomic sequences will then be compared to British Muggle DNA.
4. All samples will belong to the participants.
5. Every participant will be required to sign a consent form. Underage wizards will require consent forms from legal guardians.
6. Prior to entry to the school, researchers will be in communication with the Ministry of Magic to gain access to the community and the school itself.
7. Prior to beginning the study, researchers will conduct information sessions for the Ministry of Magic as well as Hogwarts students, faculty, staff, and parents, as well as any interested community members. Hogwarts does not teach a biology or chemistry course so it will be necessary to educate the community on DNA and genomic sequencing, in order for participants to be informed about the process.
8. Should studies be published based on this research, credit will be given to the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts School for its assistance and participation in this research.
9. Should any profit be made from this research, half of the profit will be given to the Wizarding community, to be divided equally between the Ministry and Hogwarts. Money will be transferred in Muggle form to Gringotts Wizarding Bank.
10. It is the belief of these researchers that conducting the study at Hogwarts School is the most efficient way to test for the “Wizard” gene, for the following reasons:
    1. Because Hogwarts is a boarding school, all possible participants are conveniently situated in one location. This would mean minimal contact with the community at large and efficiency in collecting the DNA.
    2. Because most of the British Wizarding community sends their children to Hogwarts, the School’s student body is a good representative of the population at large.
11. Should the research prove inconclusive or suggest further studies, the researchers will return to the Ministry and Hogwarts to discuss further steps. This may require conducting research in the Wizarding community at large, in which case, permission from the Ministry will once again be sought.

It is the hope that this research will result in the growth of mutual ties between the Wizarding and Muggle communities of Britain. It is our hope that should we discover what makes Wizards and Muggles both different and similar, these two communities will be able to work together towards mutual goals.

I passed the class.