Wednesday 19 June 2013
Attic Soiron Building
15.30—17.00
Marianne Boenink
University of Twente
Scientific research is often guided by buzz words, fashions and visions. In current biomedical research, ‘biomarkers’ and ‘translational research’ are such hot topics. Biomarker research aims to identify and validate bodily (often molecular) characteristics that provide clues about someone’s present or future state of health. ‘Translational research’ is supposed to help overcome a perceived gap between lab research and clinical practice. In this presentation Marianne Boenink will investigate translational biomarker research from the perspective of ‘responsible innovation’ (a buzz word from my own field of research). A central research question for one of her research projects is: what does responsible innovation mean in the context of developing biomarker diagnostics for Alzheimer’s Disease? Instead of prescribing what responsible translational biomarker research should look like, ho wever, in this presentation she will ask what the actual translational process of biomarkers in the case of Alzheimer’s Disease can teach us about the concept of responsible innovation.
Bio:
Marianne Boenink is an assistant professor at the Department of Philosophy of the University of Twente. She studied Health Sciences (Universiteit Maastricht) and Philosophy (University of Amsterdam). Her research focuses on philosophical and ethical issues concerning emerging biomedical technologies, and on anticipating the societal and ethical impact of emerging technologies more generally. Currently, she is project leader of a research project on Responsible innovation for early diagnostics of Alzheimer’s disease (NWO) and of a research project on Patient involvement in translational research (CSG/CTMM, together with dr. S van der Burg, UMCN).
