Biomedical Ethicist, National Institute of Environmental Health
Sciences
National Institutes of Health
Research Triangle Park, NC
sharp@niehs.nih.gov
Dr. Sharp's research examines the ethical, legal and social
implications of research on genetic susceptibilities to disease.
He is concerned with issues of informed consent and the possibility
that even non-subjects—members of the same ethnic group or individuals
from the same geographical area, for example—may be harmed by the
irresponsible interpretation of genetic information. Sharp also
works closely with the Institutional Review Board at the National
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
A philosopher by training, Sharp has also done scientific work and
draws upon that experience in coordinating several training programs
on scientific integrity and responsible research practices. He has
represented the NIEHS on these and other issues to groups of attorneys,
philosophers, scientists, and the general public, gaining both local
and national recognition as an approachable expert on ethical issues
in genetics. One of his professional priorities is to show how the
analytical skills of philosophers and ethicists can illuminate challenging
science policy issues, translating abstract conceptual analysis
into practical guidelines for scientists and policymakers. At the
NIEHS, he views his role in bioethics as part of a broader federal
commitment to promoting responsible research. Sharp is one of a
community of scholars brought together by the National Institutes
of Health to guide policymaking and assess the social impacts of
science.
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