Research & Scholarship
Faculty research and scholarship provides the foundation of our mission to advance understanding concerning ethical issues in biomedical research, health care and the life sciences, with a focus on the rights and interests of patients, research participants, and the public.
Debra DeBruin, PhD
Interim Director, Director of Graduate Studies, and Associate Professor
Expertise: Social Justice | Gender Equity | Public Health Policy | Vulnerability in Research
Dr. Debra DeBruin primarily works on issues in public health ethics and the ethics of health policy, with a focus on concerns about social justice and health equity. Much of this work addresses issues of gender and the promotion of public health in resource poor settings.
Jaime Konerman-Sease
Clinical Ethics Adjunct Professor
Professor Konerman-Sease's academic work focuses on Narrative Bioethics, Medicine, and Literature. By drawing from historical sources, she highlights novel solutions to modern-day health care problems. Her current project examines the novels of Jane Austen to identify approaches to healthcare relationships that can positively impact patients and providers today.
Jennifer Needle, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor
Expertise: Advance Care Planning | Pediatrics | Palliative Care | Clinical Ethics
Dr. Jennifer Needle’s clinical work is within the Pediatric ICU at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital. As the sole member of the faculty in the Department of Pediatrics with an appointment in the Center for Bioethics, she serves as a resource to students, residents, and faculty...
Joel Wu, JD, MPH, MA, HEC-C
Clinical Ethics Adjunct Professor
Expertise: Public health ethics, Health policy, Clinical ethics
Joel Wu is the Center for Bioethics’ Clinical Ethics Adjunct professor and a senior lecturer in the Division of Health Policy and Management at the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health. Wu teaches courses at the intersection of law, medicine, and ethics.