Durham CELLS (Centre for Ethics and Law in the Life Sciences) is a research centre at Durham University, based in Durham Law School. It focuses on the legal and ethical issues raised by biological science, medicine and regulation: biolaw and bioethics. It was founded in December 2011[1] and has members from anthropology, biology, law, medicine, philosophy, sociology and theology.[2]
| Formation | 2011 |
|---|---|
| Focus | To support excellence in academic research, innovative teaching and public dialogue on the ethical, social and regulatory issues raised by the life sciences |
| Location |
|
Parent organization | Durham University |
| Website | https://www.durham.ac.uk/research/institutes-and-centres/ethics-law-life-sciences/ |
Durham CELLS is an established expert research centre in biolaw and bioethics.[3][4] Its activities include:
- running a research blog on issues relating to the ethical, social and regulatory issues raised by the life sciences,[5][6]
- running a blog on obstetric violence, supported by conferences and seminars,[7][8][9]
- engaging school students with biomedicine and bioethics,[10][11][12] and
- supporting ethics advisory committees.[13][14]
Members
editDirector: Emma Cave
Founder: Shaun Pattinson (2011)
Members include:[15]
- Deryck Belyeveld is an exponent of the moral theory of the late Alan Gewirth.
- Emma Cave chaired a Nuffield Council on Bioethics working group on Stem Cell-Based Embryo Models in 2024, setting out governance proposals.[16][17] She also chaired the General Medical Council Good Medical Practice Advisory Forum, resulting in new good medical practice guidance in 2024.[18] She is co-author of Medicine, Patients and the Law (7th ed., 2023).[19]
- Richard Goldberg has addressed the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Pandemic Response and Recovery on vaccine damage schemes and vaccine liability.[20]
- Samantha Halliday is co-lead of the Northern Network for Medical Humanities: Narratives of consent and invisible women.[21]
- Shaun Pattinson is author of several books including Law at the Frontiers of Biomedicine (2023)[22] and Medical Law and Ethics (7th ed., 2025).[23]
- Camilla Pickles is a member of the International Platform in Obstetric Violence.[24]
- Elizabeth Chloe Romanis is author of Biotechnology, Gestation and the Law (2024)[25] and editor of Medical Law International.[26]
References
edit- ^ Website of founder
- ^ Website of Durham CELLS
- ^ "Northern Health Science Alliance website".
- ^ Mapping the Arts and Humanities, humanities.org.uk
- ^ Professor McMahon publishes piece on patents and stem cell-based embryo models on Durham CELLS Blog recently cited in Nuffield Council on Bioethics Report, Maynooth University
- ^ Durham CELLS blog
- ^ Obstetric Violence Blog
- ^ Olivia Verity and Camilla Pickles, 'Obstetric Violence: Where is the Law?' AIMS Journal, 2022, vol. 34, No. 2
- ^ Obstetric Violence: Multidisciplinary Analysis, Seminar hosted by Durham CELLS
- ^ YouTube video entitled 'Human Cloning and Mitochondrial Donation: Mock Court Case'
- ^ YouTube video entitled 'Human Cloning and Mitochondrial Donation: Mock Parliamentary Debate'
- ^ YouTube video entitled 'Understanding stem cell research: Students' First Debate on the (fictional) Stem Cell Bill'
- ^ Durham expert appointed to UK Covid-19 Inquiry ethics panel
- ^ Two members, Emma Cave and Robert Song, sit on the British Medical Association’s, Medical Ethics Committee
- ^ "Members of Durham CELLS".
- ^ "Durham University (2024) Report calls for legislation to bolster governance of stem cell-based embryo models (27 November)".
- ^ "Nuffield Council on Bioethics (2024) Human stem cell-based embryo models: A review of ethical and governance questions".
- ^ "Good Medical Practice 2024"., General Medical Council
- ^ Brazier, Cave and Heywood (June 2023). Medicine, Patients and the Law (7 ed.). Manchester: MUP. ISBN 9781526157171.
- ^ Durham Law School (14 March 2025). "Richard Goldberg Addresses APPG on Reform of Vaccine Damage Payments Scheme". Durham Law School. Retrieved 1 Apr 2025.
- ^ "Northern Network for Medical Humanities".
- ^ Pattinson, Shaun (26 January 2023). Law at the Frontiers of Biomedicine. London: Bloomsbury. ISBN 9781509941070.
- ^ Pattinson, Shaun (23 April 2025). Medical Law and Ethics (7th ed.). London: Sweet & Maxwell. ISBN 9780414125070.
- ^ "IPOV".
- ^ Romanis, E Chloe (2024). Biotechnology, Gestation, and the Law. UK: OUP. ISBN 9780198873785.
- ^ Romanis, EC; Davaney, S; Mullock, A; Black, I (2024-04-09). "Framing a future research agenda for Medical Law International". Medical Law International. 24: 3–13. doi:10.1177/09685332241242270.