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Donaghue Initiative in Biomedical and Behavioral Research Ethics
The Yale Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics was awarded a five-year, $2.1 million grant in 2003 by The Patrick and Catherine Weldon Donaghue Medical Research Foundation to establish the Donaghue Initiative in Biomedical and Behavioral Research Ethics. One of the Foundation's major interests is in linking health research with ethics and in the translation of new knowledge into practice within the health care and health research institutions throughout Connecticut.
The purpose of the Initiative is to promote systematic and interdisciplinary study of the ethical aspects and implications of biomedical and behavioral research, to conduct research on these topics, and to disseminate new and useful knowledge for the enhancement of policy and practice. The Initiative will organize a variety of activities designed to enhance the performance of research scientists and institutional review boards by fostering the highest regard for ethical principles and considerations in the design, conduct and oversight of human subject research.
The Initiative will be overseen by the Executive Committee of the Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics, co-chaired by Robert J. Levine, MD and Margaret Farley, PhD, and directly supervised by Dr. Levine with the assistance of Julius Landwirth, MD, JD. In addition the Initiative will have a project Advisory Committee, with membership composed of Yale faculty as well as individuals outside the Yale community, including two members appointed by the Donaghue Foundation. This group's function will be to provide diverse perspectives on the relevance and effectiveness of the Initiative's programs and direction.
Specific activities made possible by the grant include:
1) A new ongoing interdisciplinary work group on research ethics on
the model of those supported by the Interdisciplinary Center for Bioethics.
2) Support for a Bioethicist-in-Residence who will serve as a
Visiting Professor of Bioethics for the academic year.
3) Support for Visiting Scholars who will engage in teaching and research in the
field of research ethics.
4) Funding support for research projects that show promise for
producing useful new knowledge in biomedical and behavioral research
ethics.
5) Conferences and seminars for Yale faculty and students as well as
the general public.
6) State-wide collaboration to establish a forum for institutional
review boards reviewing biomedical and behavioral research proposals.
7) Publication of scholarly journal articles and books based on work
performed under the Initiative.