Bioethics research with an eye on the horizon

At the JCB, we are increasingly aware that a new bioethics is needed for the 21st century—one which embraces an ethics of both individuals and populations, health care and public health, and health systems and health services, and importantly, one which engages the complex environmental, social, and other factors contributing to health.

Our research mandate engages the full spectrum of bioethics theory and practice with a primary focus on applied interdisciplinary bioethics research. Our faculty and affiliates continue to achieve success in peer-reviewed grants and publications and make significant contributions through knowledge translation activities for broader impact in health policy and practice.

Today’s wicked health challenges

The research we undertake is in the broad field of applied health ethics including empirical and conceptual scholarship. Interdisciplinary in nature, our work addresses urgent and emerging ethical issues affecting global populations. We bring a systems approach to understanding the complex practical and normative dimensions of contemporary health systems and institutions, and their impact on patients, populations and civic society.

Our primary research areas

In an increasingly complex and globalized world, we are focusing our expertise on the following areas of research:

• AI and new technologies
• Pandemics and infectious disease outbreaks
• Health services and systems
• End of life

Collaborating for a brighter future in health

Partnerships and collaborations have been, and will continue to be, the main part of the Joint Centre for Bioethics’ “jointness” and success. We have a tradition of academic citizenship, which includes a commitment to working collaboratively with stakeholders to advance ethically sound policy and practice in the health system.

We have received funding from the following organizations:

• AMS
• Canadian Institutes of Health Research
• Social Sciences and Humanities Research Institute
• The Sandbox Project

Some of the organizations with whom we have collaborated are:

• Ontario Ministry of Health
• Ontario Office of the Chief Coroner
• Public Health Ontario
• U of T-affiliated health institutions
• Women’s College Hospital Institute for Health System Solutions and Virtual Care (WHIV)
• World Health Organization

Collaborating with us

We invite individuals and institutions interested in collaborating with us on research and knowledge translation to get in touch via email at jcb.research@utoronto.ca. We’re happy to have a preliminary conversation about your research interests and how we can contribute.