For a full list of my academic publications go here

For all my publications go here

For CV go here

For work of my curent and former students and opportunities for students to work with me see here

 

Ongoing grants

SSHRC Standard operating grant PI Gregor Wolbring; Co-Applicants David Legg and Frank Stahnisch

“Beyond Pistorius, social dynamics-future expectations and the development of therapeutic enhancements for people with disabilities: impact analysis of therapeutic enhancement technologies on recreational and performance sport and sport education”

Therapeutic' body devices developed historically to mimic species-typical body structures and expected body functioning. However, they increasingly allow the wearer to outperform the species-typical body in various functions. The 'cheetah' prosthetic legs worn by the South African Paralympic Amputee Oscar Pistorius are one example of such a 'therapeutic' device and were the first labeled as a techno doping device. No thorough impact analysis exists for sport on all performance levels and sport education of the ever-increasing appearance of 'therapeutic' bodily assistive devices for people with disabilities in general and athletes with disabilities in particular. The objective of this project is to forge a systematic, history and sport community informed, forward-looking, multi-disciplinary examination of the challenges and opportunities of 'therapeutic enhancement for sport and sport education.

SSHRC operating grant as Co-PI with Ian Kerr, University of Ottawa on Building better humans? Health, enhancement and human rights?

an investigation organized around three areas of inquiry:  

the examination of various philosophies of enhancement, their underlying values and potential impact of what it means to be “human”

the impact of human enhancement on: disability, ableism, impairment, rehabilitation, and the delivery of health care 

the development of a series of policy recommendations and a Model Law to harmonize the regulation of enhancement technologies

EPOCH, Ethics in Public Policy Making : The Case of Human Enhancement is a research project funded under the European Union’s 7thframework programme. Co-Applicant; Team co-ordinator Professor Ruud ter Meulen Bristol University

EPOCH aims to broaden and deepen knowledge of the role of ethics in the governance of science and technology, focusing on ethical aspects of new and emerging bio-, neuro- and nano-technologies and specifically related to the topic of human enhancement. Human enhancement is any modification of the human body that is designed to improve performance and is realised through scientific-technological means. Human enhancement through the use of scientific and technological means is both new area of research and one that is well established. Cosmetic surgery is one well established and generally accepted and legal form of human enhancement. New and emerging areas of human enhancement are coming to light; these developments have been aided by the progress made in respect of treatments for injury, diseases and illnesses. Human enhancement can (theoretically) occur from the embryonic stage right through to adulthood, through genetic, pharmacological and technological means. With therapies being used as enhancement, for example the use of Ritalin by university students to improve concentration, it is vital that research is carried out to consider the role of ethics in the governance of this emerging field.

The aim of EPOCH is to generate new insights into the role of ethical expertise in European policy making on science and technology, coherent with national and other European projects. The project has been divided into three areas: Ethics and Governance of Science and Technology Human Enhancement and European Policy-Making Challenges to Regulatory and Legal Frameworks In order to deliver the research in these three areas the project has been sub-divided into ten work packages, lead by different institutions.

1 – Philosophical and empirical research into the role of ethics in public-policy making: Led by CEM, working with ITAS, Maastricht, CNRS and Ljubljana

2 – Governance and Ethics: Led by Maastricht, working with CEM, ITAS, CNRS and Ljubljana

3 – Ethical Policy Advice: Led by Ljubljana, working with CEM, ITAS, Maastricht and CNRS

4 – Enhancement Technologies: Led by ITAS, working with CEM, Aarhus, Swansea and Calgary

5 – Enhancement Discourses: Led by Aarhus, working with CEM, ITAS, Swansea and Calgary

6 – Policies on selected enhancement issues and relevant governance technologies: Led by ITAS, working with CEM, Swansea, Aarhus and Calgary

7 – Forecast study of developments in physical enhancement and analysis of systems of governance: Led by Swansea, working with CEM, ITAS, Padua, Maastricht and Calgary

8 – Challenges to regulatory and legal frameworks: Led by Padua, working with CEM, ITAS, CNRS, Maastricht, Ljubljana, Aarhus and Calgary

9 – Participatory Approaches in Science and Technology Governance: Led by CNRS, working with ITAS, Padua, Ljubljana, Maastricht and Calgary

10 – Understanding EU governance, policies and regulatory structures in a global context: Led by Singapore, working with CEM, ITAS, Padua and Calgary The EPOCH consortium consists of 10 partners based throughout Europe, North America and Asia and involves ethicists, philosophers, psychologists, lawyers, sociologists, political scientists, and a vet. For further details of who is involved please go to the People page (link)

Genome Canada grant as Co-Investigator; PI: Gerrit Voordouw, University of Calgary Metagenomics for Greener Production and Extraction of Hydrocarbon Energy: Creating Opportunities for Enhanced Recovery with Reduced Environmental Impact As Ethics Team Leader investigating Energy, water and climate discourse and ethics of metagenomics

GE3LS: This metagenomics project aims to identify genes and bioprocesses of naturally occurring microorganisms in oil sands and coal beds that produce methane and carbon dioxide. New knowledge derived from this project will enhance our understanding of how to decrease use of water and emission of greenhouse gases, enhance extraction of clean burning gas from coal beds, and minimize the adverse environmental impact of oil sands production. This relatively new field of science brings with it new questions related to its potential impact on society.

Metagenomics raises questions relating to: regulatory concerns about the definition and meaning of microbial species; potential environmental, health and safety risks; the application of the International Convention on Biological Diversity to this type of research; the effect of public perception; and current metagenomics patenting practices.
Metagenomic studies will lead directly to the discovery of products or processes based on microbial metabolism that may be deployed in hydrocarbon rich environments. This raises further concerns of environmental health and safety and as well as questions of public reaction. The GE3LS component of this project will explore public conceptions around energy and investigate issues linked to this project in the areas of; a) metagenomics, b) water use, c) greenhouse gas emissions, d) bioremediation and e) manipulation of microorganisms to enhance hydrocarbon recovery. The GE3LS team will also cover regulatory issues pertinent to the project.

Human Enhancement, ETAG project: Principal Investigator; Sponsorship Details: Karlsruhe University; Grant in Aid

no details

SSHRC CURA grant as Co-applicant Living Archives on Eugenics in Western Canada; PI Rob Wilson U of Alberta

Grant webpage I cover future science and technology enabled possible eugenic dvelopment

UofC internal grant; PI

Autism through an Ability expectation;

Canadian Paraplegic Association; Calgary Chapter; PI

Quality of Life after extreme exercise

UofC internal grant; PI

Organ donation discourse

National Science Foundation NSF IGERT Program; Co-PI

Person-Centered Technologies and Practices for Individuals with Disabilities, Co-PI, Lead PIs: Sethuraman Panchanathan (ASU) and Forouzan Golshani (California State University Long Beach); 2011-2016; see here http://sustainability.asu.edu/research/project/616/igert%3A-person-centered-technologies-and-practices-for-individuals-with-disabilities

 

 

 

Retlred grants

(2008) Principal Investigator, Alberta Ingenuity Grant for iGEM on ethical, environmental, economic, legal and social issues of synthetic biology

(2005) Collaborator, National Science Foundation. Nanotechnology and Society. Purpose: Establishment of a Centre for Nanotechnology and Society at Arizona State University.

(2005) Principle Investigator, Health Technology Assessment Unit Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research,. To write a background paper on the relationship between emerging technologies, imagery and situation of disabled people and the field of health technology assessment

(2001) Principle Investigator Expert opinion for the Study Commission on the Law and Ethics of Modern Medicine of the German Bundestag with the title "Folgen der Anwendung genetischer Diagnostik fuer behinderte Menschen" (Consequences of the application of genetic diagnostics for disabled people)

1992-2008 various biochemistry related grants from granting agencies and industry