Academic Programs Catalog

College of Human Medicine

The Center for Bioethics and Social Justice

Sean A. Valles, Director

The Center for Bioethics and Social Justice (BSJ) is part of the College of Human Medicine. BSJ brings together a multidisciplinary team of scholars to address conceptual, theoretical, and practical aspects of the field of bioethics. BSJ faculty develop and deliver curriculum content on the social context of clinical decisions for the college’s Shared Discovery Curriculum. BSJ educates researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and communities around shared interests in the attainment of a healthier and more just world.

Since its founding in 1977, BSJ has engaged in bioethics teaching, research and outreach that has helped shape bioethics scholarship, as well as related policies and clinical practices. In 2021, BSJ adopted a revised mission and name, becoming a social justice-centered bioethics unit. In its research efforts, BSJ examines the nature of bioethics and enhances its applications to the pursuit of equitable, inclusive, and just healthy societies. In its outreach mission, BSJ engages researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and communities around shared interests in the attainment of a healthier and more just world.