National Core for Neuroethics

National Core for Neuroethics
Name	National Core for Neuroethics
Image	IMGP0236.JPG
Logo	Core Logo.JPEG
Region	Vancouver
Province	British Columbia
Country	Canada
Coordinates	49°15′40″N 123°07′28″W
Type	Research
Speciality	Neuroethics
Affiliation	UBC Faculty of Medicine
Established	2007
Website	http://www.neuroethics.ubc.ca

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National Core for Neuroethics

The National Core for Neuroethics at the University of British Columbia was established in August 2007, with generous support from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Institute of Mental Health and Addiction, Canada Foundation for Innovation, the British Columbia Knowledge Development Fund, the Canada Research Chairs program, the UBC Brain Research Centre and the UBC Institute of Mental Health. Lead by Dr. Judy Illes, the Core has asserted itself on both the national and international stage as a forerunner in the field of neuroethics, with particular focus on ethics in neurodegenerative disease and regenerative medicine, international and cross cultural challenges in brain research, neuroimaging and ethics, the neuroethics of enhancement, and personalized medicine. Considerable attention has been given to the Core by both the scholarly and non-academic media, with the Core recently featured in the New York Times, the Vancouver Sun, on the Canwest Global Newshour, and in the journal Science, amongst many others. With the rapid pace of technological advance in the field of neuroscience, the National Core for Neuroethics is poised for continued expansion and success.

Mission

The National Core for Neuroethics strives to tackle the ethical, legal, policy and social implications of frontier neuroscience through high impact research, education and outreach to ensure the close alignment of innovation and human values.

Vision

The Core has a vision that neuroscience is applied for maximum knowledge, health and well-being through the early integration of ethics and research, a collective understanding of neuroethics, and the development of policies as the science unfolds. To this end, the Core holds six key values that it uses to guide its research, education, and outreach activities:

Integrity: Uphold high moral and ethics principles in all aspects of neuroethics research, education and outreach

Innovation: Pursue creative and novel approaches to long-standing and nascent issues in neuroethics

Leadership: Inspire and motivate high impact neuroethics research, education and outreach

Teamwork: Respect the diversity and individuality of thoughts, ideals and beliefs

Partnership: Actively engage collaborators and stakeholders

Responsiveness: Promote sensitivity to research, education and outreach needs of the external environment

People

The Core is led by Judy Illes, PhD, Canada Research Chair in Neuroethics and Professor of Neurology. Peter Reiner, PhD, Professor of Psychiatry, is a Senior Faculty Member with the Core. The Core is staffed by Kate Tairyan (MD, MPH), Senior Research Fellow; Daniel Buchman (BA, MSW), Research Fellow; Neil Chahal (BSc), Administrator, Finance and Research; Carole Federico (BSc), Research Coordinator; Umamon Puangthong (MD), Research Fellow; Joanne Reimer (MN), Research Coordinator; Ranga Venkatachary, Research Coordinator; and Sofia Lombera (BSc), Manager for Research and Global Partnerships. Affiliates of the Core include Kevin Comerford (MFA, MIS), Research Fellow; Mohsen Sadatsafavi (MD, MHSc), Research Fellow; and Kevin Sauve, Research Intern (BSc).

Funding

The Core currently receives financial support from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Institute of Mental Health and Addiction, Canada Foundation for Innovation, the British Columbia Knowledge Development Fund, the Canada Research Chairs program, the UBC Brain Research Centre, the UBC Institute of Mental Health, the National Institutes of Health, the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research, the Harvard NeuroDiscovery Center's Foundation for Ethics and Biotechnology, the North Growth Foundation, the Greenwall Foundation, the Stem Cell Network, the Dana Foundation, the Canadian Dementia Knowledge Translation Network, and Imperial Oil.

Inauguration

In September 2008, the Core celebrated its first anniversary with an inauguration celebration held at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts at the University of British Columbia. In attendance were several international dignitaries in the field of neuroethics, including Dr. Joseph Fins (Chief of the Division of Medical Ethics at Weill Cornell Medical College), Dr. Barbara Sahakian (Professor of Clinical Neuropsychology at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine), and Dr. Eric Racine (Research Unit Director, Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal), and Dr. Rémi Quirion (Scientific Director, Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (INMHA)).