People

Heidi Mertes is an associate professor in Medical Ethics at Ghent University and one of the founding members of both the METAMEDICA consortium and of the Bioethics Institute Ghent.Her academic research focusses on the ethical implications of innovations in healthcare, with a particular focus on reproductive medicine, genetics, embryonic stem cell research and more specifically ethical challenges at the intersection of these different domains. She has, for example, published articles on the ethical issues related to so-called social egg freezing, embryo research, stem cell derived gametes, genetic parenthood, genome editing, genetic screening of embryos, etc.

As the principle investigator of the ERC-funded project DIME, she is currently focusing on the impact of disruptive innovation in healthcare on medical ethics and on shifting responsibilities in healthcare.

She is also a member of the Belgian Federal Commission for Medical and Scientific Research on Embryos in vitro and the current coordinator of the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology’s special interest group Ethics and Law.

Her societal outreach is most tangible in her role as the president of De Maakbare Mens vzw, a non-profit socio-cultural organisation that stimulates critical reflection about the individual and societal impact of new medical technologies.

Heidi teaches courses at Ghent University in bioethics, medical ethics, moral philosophy and global health ethics.

Looking for more information? Visit Heidi’s contact details, research profile and publications.

Seppe Segers is a professor of ethics and moral science at the department of Philosophy and Moral Sciences, Ghent University and member of the Bioethics Institute Ghent (BIG). His main research interests concern the domains of theoretical and substantive ethics, with a respecitve focus on normative and meta-ethics, and bioethics, medical ethics and engineering ethics.

He is presently co-supervising PhD research on the study of shifting moral responsibilities in healthcare as part of the ‘DIME’ ERC project.

A link to his research profile and publications.

Michiel De Proost is a postdoctoral researcher and teaching courses in empirical ethics at the Department of Philosophy and Moral Sciences, Ghent University (Belgium) and member of the Bioethics Institute Ghent (BIG).In 2022 he obtained his Ph.D. in Philosophy and Moral Sciences at the Free University Brussels with a thesis on ‘social’ egg freezing, women’s emancipation, and reproductive autonomy. Within the DIME project, he is developing normative arguments regarding which principles or theories in medical ethics ought to be reinforced or replaced in the face of disruptive innovations to better cope with the societal challenges ahead.

He is also a member of Sophia, the Belgian Gender Studies Network.

Brandon Ferlito received his MSc(Med) in Bioethics and Health Law from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. In his dissertation, he conducted a bioethical analysis of dual loyalty and human rights in South Africa. Brandon has published several feature articles and a number of peer-reviewed articles on medical ethics, health law, and health policy. His research interests include applied ethics in the areas of private and public life, the professions, health, technology, and law. He also has research interests in applied animal ethics, public health, and health policy. Brandon previously worked as a bioethicist for the South African Medical Association (SAMA) and is currently a reviewer for the South African Journal of Bioethics and Law. He joined the DIME project as a PhD student in 2022. His PhD will focus on critically analysing the shifting moral responsibilities in healthcare as a consequence of disruptive innovations, with particular emphasis on responsibilities shifting from healthcare providers to data collectors.

Jesse joined the ‘DIME’ ERC project in May 2022. He will be focused on the shifting responsibilities among the health care team and other actors, as the practices and norms of traditional medicine are being altered by mobile health technologies. In 2020, Jesse completed his MA in philosophy at Colorado State University. In addition to the DIME project, Jesse is completing an MSt in Practical Ethics at the University of Oxford. These projects allow him to explore his research passions, which lie at the intersection of philosophy, biology and technology. They further allow him to engage with policymakers, professional bodies, and other interested parties who aim to improve the health care experience.Outside the current project, Jesse has published on human enhancement, genetic engineering, and the relationship between authenticity and nuerointerventions. He has a special interest in how these biotechnologies affect the moral status of human beings, and the interests of nonhuman animals subject to these technological interventions.