Researchers
Dr Sue Eckstein
Prof Bobbie Farsides
News
Prof Bobbie Farsides introduced the HTA (Human Tissue Authority) Review of the Year 2012. Speakers discussed consent and research.
Watch videos on the HTA website.
Medical Ethics and Humanities research within BSMS focuses upon a number of key areas which complement and enhance the research activity within the school, enrich the undergraduate curriculum, and provide the basis for a range of outward looking activities. Our researchers are influential in their chosen fields and BSMS has become a hub for ethics related activities locally and nationally. The Medical Ethics and Humanities team are key contributors to the school's widening participation activities and community engagement.
Our primary areas of research cover the following:
Over a period of ten years Professor Bobbie Farsides has been a key member of an experienced team of researchers conducting externally funded interdisciplinary studies on the role and experience of health care professionals and medical scientists operating within ethically contested areas of medicine and biomedical science areas such as stem cell research, foetal medicine, embryo experimentation, ante-natal screening and testing, and transplantation and donation.
In 2009 the on-going achievements and future potential of this team were recognised when The Wellcome Trust awarded funding to the London and Brighton Translational Ethics Centre (LABTEC). The focus of the centre's work is on the ethical and social issues relating to translational research into the treatment of neurodegenerative disease.
LABTEC's interest is primarily focused upon Motor Neurone Disease and Parkinson's Disease but Professor Farsides' interest in neurological disease has also led to an on-going involvement with the Huntington's Disease Association. She has addressed both professional carers and affected families within the HD community, locally and nationally and is currently developing joint research interests with the charity.
The ethics team have a long term interest in bioethics research and practice in the developing world, and have worked closely with Professor Melanie Newport to develop the school's involvement in this area through the incorporation of Rapid Ethical Appraisal techniques in BSMS research, contributions to the MSc in Global Health and the supervision of PhD students.
Professor Farsides has a long standing interest and involvement in the ethics of cancer and palliative care, having established the country's first specialist postgraduate course in the Ethics of Cancer and Palliative Care back in 1993. The team have published and spoken widely on their experience of using dramatic form to express and explore ethical dilemmas at the end of life. BSMS hosts the Sussex Palliative Care Ethics Forum where practitioners come to discuss the ethical challenges of their work.
Professor Farsides has written on this topic over a period of almost twenty years looking at both the theoretical and practical issues involved with the acquisition and use of human body parts. As well as academic articles she has contributed to legal cases, was a member of the Department of Health's Organ Donation Taskforce, Specialist Adviser to the House of Lords and current member of the UK Donation Ethics Committee
Currently, Professor Farsides is a co-applicant on a NRHI Project Grant looking at developing an intervention to encourage organ donation amongst Black and Ethnic Minority communities in the UK.
Sue Eckstein and Bobbie Farsides are founder editors of the Royal Society of Medicine's journal Clinical Ethics. Supported by an expert Editorial committee and prestigious Advisory Board they have established the reputation of the journal both nationally and internationally publishing articles from a wide range of contributors.
Sue Eckstein has completed her PhD in the scope and limitations of autobiographical fiction and is currently working on ethical issues related to “ownership” of case studies and individuals’ life and health stories and innovative ways of presenting cases.
Sue Eckstein offers a number of student selected components in medical humanities including Bleeding Hearts and Fevered Minds in the Heart, Lungs and Blood module, Bedlam and Beyond in the Neuroscience and Behaviour module, and Maternity Longing and Loss in the Reproduction and Endocrinology module. These SSCs offer students an understanding of some of ways that engaging in the humanities may enable them to gain better insight into their own motivation and practice, allow them to become familiar with some of the literature (poetry, drama, prose and film) on the topics covered and gives them an opportunity to write a short story, short piece of drama, poem or critical essay.
