The University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy recently celebrated 30 years of contributions to the field of bioethics. In recognition of its influence, the department received the Cornerstone Award from the American Society for Bioethics and Humanities (ASBH) in 2025.
Since its founding in 1994 by Arthur Caplan, PhD, as the Penn Center for Bioethics, the department has become a center for interdisciplinary research, education, and policy engagement. Now led by Chair Steven Joffe, MD, MPH, and Chief of the Division of Medical Ethics Emily Largent, JD, PhD, RN, Penn Bioethics brings together experts in clinical ethics, research ethics, neuroethics, health law and policy.
Each year at the ASBH annual conference, attendees seek out Penn Bioethics’ “word of the year” mugs. The tradition highlights words that reflect the program’s values such as “Trailblazing,” “Transformative,” and “Timeless.” According to Holly Fernandez Lynch, JD, MBE—an alumna and faculty member—“Penn Bioethics kind of runs deep in the community. You look out for each other. Because we’re one of the oldest programs, the people doing bioethics—lots of them got trained here.”
The department’s educational programs have had a national reach. Its Master of Bioethics (MBE) program began in 1997 and has produced more than 900 alumni who now work across fields including medicine, dentistry, nursing, law and industry. The Master of Science in Medical Ethics (MSME) program is noted for its integration of empirical methods with bioethical study.
Autumn Fiester, PhD—vice chair for education and MBE faculty program director—described Penn Bioethics as “the premier training ground for the next generation of scholars.” She added: “No one trains scholars like we do. Our classrooms are magic—bringing together undergraduates, physicians, nurses, lawyers, and even emeritus faculty to learn from each other.”
Over the past decade alone faculty members have published more than 2,100 articles in journals such as JAMA and NEJM. Their work has influenced healthcare policy at institutional and governmental levels.
Faculty continue to address emerging ethical challenges including those related to artificial intelligence in healthcare and gene therapy access. Anna Wexler, PhD—a Greenwall Foundation Faculty Scholar—is researching how ethical guidelines can shape practice regarding neurotechnology: “For me, the most important question is about the role of bioethics—how we can ensure that the work we do in identifying and analyzing ethical concerns actually has a real-world impact on practice.”
Justin Clapp, PhD MPH focuses on clinical decision-making processes: “It is one thing to come up with the right answer in a sterile hypothetical environment. I want to know how these conversations are actually happening on the ground,” he said. He also predicted changes ahead: “The field is going to become more interdisciplinary and more rooted in what’s happening on the ground... We need to understand complexity before we apply theory—and that’s where Penn Bioethics excels.”
Penn Bioethics’ approach combines scientific inquiry with an interdisciplinary method focused on public engagement.
