Profile

I grew up on a farm in County Roscommon, worked as a (wedding) video cameraman for a while, then ended up working in academia working on philosophy, politics and bioethics. I am working in universities in Galway and Dublin and also spend some of my time abroad in Belgium, Serbia, Portugal, Italy and the UK. I spend my time, and work, exploring what the future might bring in terms of biotechnology (especially genetics and human enhancement) and what ethical, legal and social issues this might cause.

I am a researcher in political theory and bioethics with the Centre of Bioethical Research and Analysis, NUI Galway and lecturer in bioethics in DCU. My research is on the ethical, legal and social (justice) implications of new biotechnologies, especially human biomedical interventions. I also work with the UNESCO Chair in Bioethics and the Royal Irish Academy’s Life and Medical Sciences Committee in coordinating educational, research and public engagement initiatives in Ireland and across Europe.

To find out more about my work, you can have a look at the following websites!

• unescobioethicsireland.eu
• https://dahphd.academia.edu/OliverFeeney
• www.ria.ie/science-committees/life-and-medical-sciences-committee
• http://www.chipme.eu/

My work is split into a few different areas. I lecture and prepare lectures and correct assignments. My research is essentially reading, searching for new perspectives and data in genetics and writing on legal and ethical implications – mostly these days on genome editing (CRISPR), electronic personal health records and human enhancement. My UNESCO work is on coordinating research across Europe on ensuring there is a ethically and legally safe form of electronic health records for people fleeing war-torn regions of the world. I also give talks both in Ireland and abroad (typical days here are mostly spent on trains, buses and waiting in airports!).