Research
I have three main research areas. The first concerns the importance of democratic deliberation in regulating technologies, including gene editing, prenatal testing, and newborn screening. The second explores the ontology, normativity, and political implications of the concept of exploitation across several domains and labors including participants in clinical trials, wage labor, and the gig economy. And finally, I trace the understanding of consent across three domains: governance, hierarchical relationships, and participation in human subject research and medical care, including phase I research trials and research involving biobank materials. The following are ongoing paper projects that follow from these areas of interest.
Prenatal Testing
Examines the role of public engagement in regulating prenatal testing at the FDA.
Newborn Screening
Analyzes the potential for including democratic deliberation as part of the procedure for adding diseases to the newborn screening panel in state oversight boards.
Gestational Surrogacy
Explores the moral and political implications of surrogate motherhood as exploitative labor.Â
IRB Deliberation
Examines the importance of deliberation as part of IRB decision-making when examinig consent forms.
Climate Change and GMOs: Citizens Assemblies and Social Movements
Explores the relationship between social movement activism and deliberative mini-publics as complementary sites of democratic power using the cases of climate activism and GMO skepticism.