Welcome to the Institute for Biomedical Ethics

The Institute for Biomedical Ethics at the University of Basel (IBMB) is a vibrant centre for research on and teaching about ethical issues in medicine and the biosciences. The Institute was founded in 2011 and is affiliated with both the Science and Medical Faculties at the University of Basel – a unique situation for an ethics institute in Switzerland.

The IBMB has over a dozen PhD students and a team of senior researchers and post-docs working on a wide variety of projects in biomedical ethics. The IBMB’s researchers are committed to an interdisciplinary endeavour aimed at finding ethical solutions to dilemmas raised by both new and traditional practices in biomedical ethics, including cutting-edge technologies, organ donation, palliative care, and research in developing countries, to name only a few. Our research combines empirical fieldwork, including interviews with stakeholders and members of the public, and normative, theoretical analysis. IBMB researchers have won several grants from the SNF, SAMW and other major funders and frequently publish in major bioethics, medical and science journals.

IBMB members are also highly involved in teaching, providing ethics courses for undergraduate students and postgraduate scientists and doctors. A variety of courses are open to the public, including the twice-yearly “Contemporary Issues in Bioethics” lecture series that integrates a lively dialogue with visiting speakers.

If you are interested in collaborating with us, are looking for a PhD student or post-doc job, need ethical input on your own project, or would like us to provide ethics related courses/workshops for your students or research team, please get in touch with us!

16th World Congress of Bioethics

WCB banner

The Institute for Biomedical Ethics at the University of Basel welcomes you to the 16th World Congress of Bioethics (WCB). The congress will take place as a hybrid congress (in-person or virtual presence) from 20th to the 22nd of July 2022 in Basel.

Award: Prix de droit européen, Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, Aix-Marseille University, France

PhD prize in European law for the best thesis on a topic related to European Union law or European law. Title: VULNERABLE PEOPLE AND CLINICAL TRIALS Reflections on European law.  Dr. Éloïse Gennet.

New publication: Palliative care initiation in pediatric oncology patients: A systematic review

Brian T. Cheng; Michael Rost; Eva De Clercq; Louisa Arnold; Bernice S. Elger; Tenzin Wangmo

Studie zum Unterstützungsbedarf von pflegenden Angehörigen

Im Rahmen eines Forschungsprojekts an der Universität Basel werden pflegende Angehörige und Freunde von an ALS erkrankten Personen zu ihrem Unterstützungsbedarf interviewt. Für das Projekt werden noch Teilnehmende gesucht, die sich derzeit…

Symposium: Ethical Issues in Big Data Research, 29. November 2018

Big Data is increasingly used in science, the humanities and medicine and to generate novel evidence based findings across multiple disciplines. However, research using big data also raises important ethical questions. The aim of the…

IBMB Interdisciplinary Bioethics School, 16.-18. October 2018

The workshop is open to all interested persons. Please register at tenzin.wangmo@unibas.ch Flyer Bioethics School 2018

Förderpreis der Josef und Luise Kraft-Stiftung München, "Menschenrechte und Ethik in der Medizin für Ältere", 2018

The award (second prize) has been attributed to PD Dr. Tenzin Wangmo, Dr. Violet Handtke, Dr. Wiebke Bretschneider and Prof.  Dr. Bernice Elger from IBMB for their research on „Menschenrechte und Ethik: Die Gesundheitsversorgung von…

IBMB Interdisciplinary Bioethics School, 16.-18. October 2018

The workshop is open to all interested persons. Please register at tenzin.wangmo@unibas.ch Flyer Bioethics School 2018

Symposium: Ethical Issues in Big Data Research, 29. November 2018

Big Data is increasingly used in science, the humanities and medicine and to generate novel evidence based findings across multiple disciplines. However, research using big data also raises important ethical questions. The aim of the…

New article: A scoping review of empirical evidence on the impacts of the DRG introduction in Germany and Switzerland

Insa Koné, Bettina Maria Zimmermann, Karin Nordström, Bernice Simone Elger, Tenzin Wangmo Published 13. November 2018 The International Journal of Health Planning and Management Summary Context Germany and Switzerland have…

PhD Dissertation Award - Academic Year 2016/17. Medical Feaculty, University of Basel, September 201: Dr. Priya Satalkar

Title of dissertation: "Challenges of translational research in cutting edge medical technology: A case of first-in-human (FIH) trials ofmedical applications of nanotechnology", Basel 2015
Bernoullistrasse 20

Contact and Address of the
Institute for Biomedical Ethics
Bernoullistrasse 28 - 2nd Floor
4056 Basel
Switzerland

Tel: +41 61 207 17 86