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Dr Ainsley Newson

Contact Details

Telephone: 0117 33 10725

Biography
Ainsley has been a Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Ethics at the Centre for Ethics in Medicine since 1 August 2008, having joined the Centre as a lecturer in February 2006. She has degree qualifications in Medical Ethics, Law and Science, all of which were obtained from the University of Melbourne in Australia. Her PhD research focused on moral issues in behavioural genetic research and its applications.
Teaching and Professional Training Activities
Ainsley has leadership roles in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. In the undergraduate MBChB, she is Element Lead for Ethics in Year 3 and also delivers lectures to students in Years 1 & 2. She also teaches and supervises students on the Centre’s BSc in Bioethics. In 2007 she received the Rising Star Teaching Prize in the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry. At postgraduate level Ainsley is Programme Director of the Certificate and MSc in Health Care Ethics and Law and also coordinates a number of Units on this course. Ainsley is currently supervising five PhD students:· Heather Brant: “” (Department of Community Based Medicine, first supervisor)· Mari-Rose Kennedy: “” (Department of Social Medicine, first supervisor)· Dr Samantha Leonard: “” (Department of Community Based Medicine, first supervisor)· Pip Bennett: “” (Department of Philosophy, second supervisor)· Jenny Barke: “” (University of the West of England, third supervisor) Ainsley is also actively involved in professional training activities at the Centre and regularly provides training on the research provisions of the Mental Capacity Act via the National Research Ethics Service.
Research Interests and activities
Ainsley’s research focuses on the ethical aspects of clinical genetics, reproductive decision-making, and the emerging technology of synthetic biology. She has published on these and other topics in a range of bioethics and medical journals and books.
Current Grants:
2009-2012		Ainsley is the coordinator of the SYBHEL project, funded by the European Commission under the 7^th Framework (€803,000). This project: “Synthetic Biology for Human Health: Ethical and Legal Aspects” is the first of its kind to systematically evaluate the issues arising from an application of this emerging technology. The partners comprise experts from a number of European countries. Also in synthetic biology, Ainsley is also a network member and a member of the management committee of the research-councils funded Synthetic Components Network.
2009-2014		In July 2009, Ainsley began work on the RAPID project, funded by the National Institute for Health Research and led by Professor Lyn Chitty at University College Hospitals Trust in London (£2,000,000). The RAPID project will provide a quality and acceptability evaluation of non-invasive prenatal diagnosis. Ainsley is working on ethical aspects, together with colleague Dr Zuzana Deans.
*Previous Grants:*
2007-8		Ainsley recently concluded the SAFE Ethics Project, a sub-contract under the EU-funded SAFE Network of Excellence (Framework 6); in which she and Dr Zuzana Deans investigated some of the ethical aspects arising from non-invasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD).
2004		Ainsley has previously been funded by the British Academy to study US mechanisms of clinical ethics support.
Additional areas of research interest include: Genetic responsibility Family communication in genetics Whole genome sequencing Clinical Ethics and mechanisms of ethics support Public Health (particularly genetic screening)
Selected Recent Publications
Please contact Ainsley should you wish to obtain a complete list of her publications. *Journal Articles:* van den Heuvel, A., Chitty, L., Dormandy, E., Newson, A., Deans, Z., Attwood, S., Haynes, S., Marteau, T.M. (2010). “Will the introduction of non-invasive prenatal diagnostic testing erode informed choices? An experimental study of health care professionals.” Patient Education and Counseling. 78(1): 24-8. Newson, A.J. (2009). “Clinical Ethics Case Study 8: Should we perform a genetic test in our young patient?” Clinical Ethics, 4(4): 169-172 Fournier, F., Rari, E., Førde, R., Neitzke, G., Pegoraro, R., Newson, A.J. (2009). “Clinical ethics consultation in Europe: A comparative and ethical review of the role of patients.” Clinical Ethics, 4(3): 131-138. Newson, A.J., Neitzke, G., Reiter-Theil, S. (2009). “Editorial: The role of patients in European Clinical Ethics Consultation.” Clinical Ethics, 4(3): 109-110. Newson, A.J. (2009). “The role of patients in Clinical Ethics Support: A snapshot of practices and attitudes in the United Kingdom” Clinical Ethics, 4(3): 139-145. Newson, A.J. (2009). “Clinical ethics committee case 7: Our young patient is in heart failure but has multiple co-morbidities. How can we best care for him and his family?” Clinical Ethics, 4(3): 111-115. Newson, A.J. (2009). “Depression under stress: ethical issues in genetic testing (Refereed Editorial).” British Journal of Psychiatry, 195: 189-190. Ballantyne, A. Newson, A.J., Luna, F., Ashcroft, R. (2009). “Response to open peer commentaries on: Prenatal diagnosis and abortion for congenital abnormalities: is it ethical to provide one without the other?” American Journal of Bioethics, 9(8): W6-W7. Ballantyne, A. Newson, A.J., Luna, F. Ashcroft, R. (2009). “Prenatal diagnosis and abortion for congenital abnormalities: is it ethical to provide one without the other?” American Journal of Bioethics, 9(8): 48-56. Newson, A.J. (2009). “Personal genomics as an interactive web broadcast.” American Journal of Bioethics, 9(6-7): 27-29. Newson, A.J. & Leonard, S.J. (2009). "Childhood genetic testing for familial cancer: should adoption made a difference?" Familial Cancer. [Epub ahead of print] Newson, A.J., (2009). "Clinical ethics committee case 6: Our patient wishes to take an unlisted drug even though we're not sure of his diagnosis." Clinical Ethics, 4(2): 59-63 van den Heuvel A., Chitty L., Dormandy E., Newson, A., Attwood, S., Ma, R., Masturzo,B., Pajkrt, E., Marteau,T. (2009). "Is Informed Choice in Prenatal Testing Universally Valued? A Populatioin-Based Survey in Europe and Asia." British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 116:880-885. Newson, A.J. (2009) “Clinical Ethics Committee case 5: Should we discharge our vulnerable patient to a family who seem unable to look after her?” Clinical Ethics, 4(1): 6-11. Newson, A.J. & Sheather, J. (2008). “Consent and confidentiality in publishing case studies: the BMJ’s view” BMJ, 337: a1232. van den Heuvel, A., Chitty, L., Dormandy, E., Newson, A., Deans, Z. and Marteau, T.M. (2008) “Informed choice in prenatal testing: a survey among obstetricians and gynaecologists in Europe and Asia.” Prenat Diagn. 28(13): 1238-44. Newson, A.J. (2008). “Ethical aspects arising from non-invasive fetal diagnosis.” Seminars in Fetal and Neonatal Medicine, 13(2):103-8. Davey, A. Newson, A.J. O’Leary, P. (2006) “Communication of genetic information within families: the case for familial comity.” Journal of Bioethical Inquiry, 3(3):161-166. Savulescu, J.; Hemsley, M.; Newson, A. and Foddy, B. (2006) “Behavioural genetics: Why eugenic selection is preferable to enhancement.” Journal of Applied Philosophy 23(2): 157-171. Duncan, R. and Newson, A.J. (2006) “Clinical genetics and the problem with unqualified confidentiality” American Journal of Bioethics. 6(2): 41-3. Newson, A.J. (2006) “Should parental refusals of newborn screening be accepted?” Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics 15(2):135-146. Newson, A.J. and Ashcroft, R.E. (2005) “Whither Authenticity?” American Journal of Bioethics5(3):53. Newson, A.J. and Smajdor, A.C. (2005) “Current controversy: Artificial gametes: new paths to parenthood?” Journal of Medical Ethics31(3):184-186. Newson, AJ and Humphries SE. (2005) "Cascade testing in Familial Hypercholesterolaemia: how should family members be contacted?” European Journal of Human Genetics. 13(4):401-8.
*Other Publications, Including Chapters in Books*
Newson, A. (2009). “Synthetic Biology: Enthusiasm and Care.” People and Science, September, p24 Newson, A. (27 July 2009) “Compensating egg donors, rather than paying them, is the way forward.” The Times, p8. Newson, A. (8 July 2009) “Protect consumers from gene tests” Scrubbing Up Column, BBC News Online. Leonard S, Newson, A.J. “‘I will tell, just not yet…’ Ethical perspectives.“ In Talking About Genetics: Family Matters, Ed. Gaff, C. and Byland, C. New York: Oxford University Press (forthcoming). Newson, A.J. (forthcoming). “Population Screening” in Dawson A, (ed), Public Health Ethics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Newson, A.J. (forthcoming) “Supplementing libertarianism: Genetic enhancements and the authentic individual” in Holm S, Hayry M and Takala T (eds) A Life of Value: John Harris, his arguments and his critics. Amsterdam: Rodopi. Newson, A.J.(2007) “Personhood and Moral Status” in R. Ashcroft., A. Dawson, H Draper and McMillan J (Eds.) Principles of Health Care Ethics(2^nd edition), London: John Wiley & Sons, pp 277-284. Newson, A. (2005) “A first hand account of the experience of ethics support in the United States” in: A Practical Guide for Clinical Ethics Support, United Kingdom Clinical Ethics Network; ed C. Johnstone, A. Slowther, J. Goodall and T. Hope. Newson, A.J. (2003) “Is there a cost associated with genetic enhancements?” in Almond, B. and Parker, M (eds.) Ethical Issues and the New Genetics: Are Genes Us? Aldershot, Ashgate.
Dr Newson is Editor of the Case Studies Section and a member of the Editorial Committee for Clinical Ethics (RSM Press). She is also a member of the Editorial Board of The Application of Clinical Genetics (Dove Press).
Selected Recent Presentations
Nov 2009	Invited Presentation: “Case study: what ethical and societal issues are raised by developments in synthetic biology?” Workshop on Emerging Technologies in Biology and Medicine, Nuffield Council on Bioethics, London.
Sept 2009	Invited Panellist: “Roundtable working session on non-invasive prenatal genetic diagnostic technologies: Clinical and social futures” ESRC Genomics Network Conference 2009, Cardiff. Invited Plenary Presentation: “ELSI research in SynBio: What’s being done? What should be done?” Synthetic Components Network conference, Oxford. Invited Plenary Presentation: “Synthetic Biology for Human Health: Ethical Aspects” 14^th Forum of National Ethics Councils Meeting, Stockholm.
July 2009	Invited Plenary Presentation: “Ethical aspects of non-invasive prenatal diagnosis” RAPID Project Launch, Institute of Child Health, London.
	Invited Plenary Presentation: “Genetic Responsibility: Some Initial Explorations.” New Directions in Bioethics, University College London.
June 2009	Invited Plenary Presentation: "Ethics and personal genomics" Colston Symposium, University of Bristol. Invited Talk: "The SYBHEL project" Royal Society Synthetic Biology Policy Coordination Group, London.
May 2009	Invited Seminar: "Ethical questions arising from non-invasive prenatal diagnosis (NIPD)" Fragmented Bodies. Seminar, UoB/UWE Joint series (with Dr Z Deans).
April 2009	Invited Presentation: "The SYBHEL Project - Synthetic Biology for Human Health, Ethical and Legal Issues." SYNTH-ETHICS project kick-off meeting (European Commission Framework 7), Delft.
March 2009	Invited Conference Presentation: "ELSI and Synthetic Biology" Synthetic Components Network, Bristol.
Feb 2009	Invited International Conference Presentation: "Ethical aspects of non-invasive prenatal diagnosis" SAFE Network Final Dissemination Meeting, Brussels.
Oct 2008	Invited Conference Keynote: “The ethical implications of new genetic technologies” Genetic Interest Group Annual Conference, London.
Sept 2008	Invited Keynote Presentation: “Developments in Reproductive Ethics” The Changing Faces of Medical Ethics Conference, Imperial College London.
	Invited International Conference panel chair: “Whether and how to involve patients and relatives in clinical ethics support.” 4^th International Conference on Clinical Ethics and Consultation, Rijeka, Croatia.
	International Conference Presentation “Informed consent for non-invasive prenatal diagnosis” (with Z Deans). 9^th World Congress of the International Association of Bioethics, Rijeka, Croatia.
	Invited Panellist: Public Debate, “Free Fetal DNA: Testing the Waters” Progress Educational Trust, London.
May 2008	Invited speaker, Science Café (Public Engagement Event) “Genetic Futures,” Explore at Bristol Science Museum
Mar 2008	“Ethical aspects arising from non-invasive fetal diagnosis” Joint SAFE/Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists meeting. Non-invasive prenatal diagnosis: Implications for antenatal diagnosis and the management of high risk pregnancies.
Feb 2008	“Patient involvement in UK clinical ethics” European Clinical Ethics Network Meeting, Bochum, Germany.
Nov 2007	“How might clinicians and academics work together to best deliver ethics teaching?” Teaching Ethics to Medical Students, University of Southampton.
Aug 2007	Invited Plenary Speaker: International Chromosome Conference, Amsterdam “Ethical issues in cytogenetics.”
May 2007	Conference Presentation: 3^rd International Conference on Clinical Ethics Consultation, Toronto “UK Clinical Ethics: The Challenge of Patient Involvement.”
Additional Information
Ainsley has membership on numerous policy and ethics committees, including the BMJ Ethics Committee, the European Clinical Ethics Network, and the Clinical Ethics Committee of the Royal United Hospital, Bath. She is an active contributor to print, radio and television media, including: The Times, The Guardian, BBC News Online, Venue (Bristol), News24, Radio 4 and the BBC World Service. She was a BA Media Fellow in 2005 and kept an online diary. Ainsley also participates in public engagement activities around ethics and genetics, including Science Cafés, and acting as an advisor to exhibitions such as “Inside DNA: A Genomics Revolution”. She is also a featured participant in the ethics section of the Your Genome website.

Dr Ainsley Newson

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