New funding to enhance UK biomedical ethics research
23 December 2008
Enhancement Awards in Biomedical Ethics were made to research groups based at Oxford University, Cambridge University and a collaboration between the universities of Bradford, Exeter and Bath. The three grants are each about £350 000 and will be used to strengthen collaborations and support new research fellowships and studentships.
Specific research areas being funded by the awards include the ethics of international research, new family forms arising from new assisted reproductive technologies, and the so-called 'dual use' of biological research findings in warfare and bioterrorism.
The Wellcome Trust funds research into ethical issues that arise in the development and delivery of healthcare in the UK and developing countries. It also helps to ensure that the findings of biomedical ethics research are passed on to policy makers and healthcare practitioners to help inform their decisions.
Clare Matterson, the Wellcome Trust's Director of Medicine, Society and History, said: "The nature of biomedical research means it is constantly challenging our ideas about the world, ourselves and our health. Research into ethical issues surrounding medical science and healthcare is essential if our society is going to be able to make informed decisions about research and medicine."
- The Ethics of Collaborative Global Health Research: a network to build capacity in the UK and developing countries
Professor Michael Parker, Director of The Ethox Centre at the University of Oxford, and colleagues will focus on the ethics of collaborative global health research, working with the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI). The Collaborative Global Health Research Ethics Network will build ethics expertise and capacity both in the United Kingdom and in developing countries. Research will focus on four themes: community engagement, global ethics governance, the ethics of research collaboration, and the roles and responsibilities of research actors. The Award will fund studentships, the development of online resources and a range of training activities. - Redefining Families: Bioethics, assisted reproduction and emerging family forms
Professor Susan Golombok and her colleagues are based at the Centre for Family Research, University of Cambridge. As a multidisciplinary team, including psychologists, sociologists, biologists and clinicians, they have pioneered research addressing ethical issues raised by assisted reproductive technologies, including IVF, sperm donation and surrogacy. The Award will enable the Centre to collaborate with expert biomedical ethicists on research projects as new family forms emerge in the 21st century. It will also support workshops and conferences as well as PhD studentships and visiting fellowships. - Building a sustainable capacity in dual-use bioethics
Professor Malcolm Dando and colleagues at the University of Bradford's Department of Peace Studies, together with Dr Brian Rappert in the Department of Sociology and Philosophy, University of Exeter, and Dr Alexander Kelle in the Department of European Studies, University of Bath, are collaborating on research into the use of the products of biological research in warfare and bioterrorism. Their aim is to enable more bioethical research into so-called 'dual-use' of the life sciences, and help develop policies and practices that will prevent the misuse of knowledge generated through biomedical research. It is an emerging research area, and the Enhancement Award will help provide career opportunities for young researchers, including doctoral students who will begin their studies in autumn 2009, increase long-term capacity, engage practising life scientists with these issues and provide a basis for developing effective policies in the future.
Contact
Michael Regnier
Media Officer
Wellcome Trust
T +44 (0)20 7611 7262
E
m.regnier@wellcome.ac.uk
Notes for editors
The Wellcome Trust is the largest charity in the UK. It funds innovative biomedical research, in the UK and internationally, spending over £600 million each year to support the brightest scientists with the best ideas. The Wellcome Trust supports public debate about biomedical research and its impact on health and wellbeing.
Oxford University's Medical Sciences Division is one of the largest biomedical research centres in Europe. It represents almost one-third of Oxford University's income and expenditure, and two-thirds of its external research income. Oxford's world-renowned global health programme is a leader in the fight against infectious diseases (such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and avian flu) and other prevalent diseases (such as cancer, stroke, heart disease and diabetes). Key to its success is a longstanding network of dedicated Wellcome Trust-funded research units in Asia (Thailand, Laos and Vietnam) and Kenya, and work at the MRC Unit in The Gambia. Long-term studies of patients around the world are supported by basic science at Oxford and have led to many exciting developments, including potential vaccines for tuberculosis, malaria and HIV, which are in clinical trials.