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The two successful candidates will be selected to work on a research project coordinated by the Centre for Biomedical Ethics and Law (an interdisciplinary centre that performs research on ethical and societal issues with regard to innovations in biomedical research and health care, www.cbmer.be), and the Life Sciences & Society Lab (an interdisciplinary group that studies the social aspects and implications of the life sciences, https://soc.kuleuven.be/ceso/life-sciences-society-lab ). Staff members of these centres publish their work in international peer reviewed journals, participate in national and international research projects, and provide advice to academic and professional organizations.
Project
Two researchers will be hired on a project funded by the KU Leuven Research Fund focused on decision-making and communication patterns related to tests results from next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies. NGS is becoming increasingly embedded in clinical practice, leading to significant benefits in the form of treatment for patients. Although guidelines have tried to standardize reporting practices across laboratories, previous research has shown that diverging norms and practices remain with regard to reporting of results related to the clinical question, but also unsolicited and secondary findings and communication to patients.
Through this project we aim to explore (a) how laboratory scientists and clinicians decide what information to report; (b) how this information is reported and communicated with patients; (c) how genetic test results are (or are not) being shared within families; and (d) what responsibilities clinicians have towards non-disclosure. The project will use a combination of methodologies, including ethnographic studies, semi-structured interviews and normative ethical analysis. The project will help to better understand the factors that play a role in decision-making, the role of standardization, and communication patterns generated by NGS in the clinical context, and work towards policy development.
Profile
A successful PhD candidate should preferably have:
We are offering two full time appointments (100%) as a PhD student for a period of 4 years, either within the Centre for Biomedical Ethics and Law (Faculty of Medicine, KU Leuven) or the Life Sciences & Society Lab (Faculty of Social Sciences, KU Leuven). The starting date can be negotiated.
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