Michael Parker

B.Ed (Hons), MA, PhD

Ethox Centre Director and Professor of Bioethics

Michael Parker is Professor of Bioethics and Director of the Ethox Centre at the University of Oxford.

His research focuses on the identification and analysis of ethical problems presented by advances in genomics, data science (including AI), infectious disease research, and global health. He has particular theoretical and methodological interests in value pluralism and moral disagreement.

Much of this work takes place in the context of international multidisciplinary collaborations including: the Global Health Bioethics Network; the Oxford-Johns Hopkins Global Infectious Disease Ethics Collaboration (GLIDE); ANTITHESES: the Discovery Platform for Transformative Inclusivity in Ethics and Humanities Research; the Oxford Martin Programme in Digital Pandemic Preparedness; and the Values Project.

An important strand of Michael's research is a commitment to engaging with the opportunities and challenges arising from the integration of ethics research and support into large-scale biomedical science and healthcare innovations. As such, it often involves collaborative partnerships with scientists. Some examples include: the Oxford Pandemic Sciences Institute, the Wellcome Africa and Asia Programmes, the Oxford Big Data Institute, UK Biobank, the 100,000 Genomes Project, and the Malaria Genomic Epidemiology Network.

LEADERSHIP ROLES

Director of the Ethox Centre, University of Oxford (since 2004)
Member of Senior Management Team Oxford Pandemic Sciences Institute
Founding Co-Director (with Professor Jeffrey Kahn) of the Oxford-Johns Hopkins Global Infectious Disease Ethics Collaborative (GLIDE) (Since 2020)
The Global Health Bioethics Network together with partners at the Wellcome Africa and Asia Programmes in Kenya, Malawi, Malaysia, South Africa, Thailand, and Vietnam (since 2009)
UK Genethics Forum. Established with Anneke Lucassen, Tara Clancy, and Angus Clarke. This is the United Kingdom’s national ethics forum for health professionals and genetics laboratory staff (since 2001)

SELECTED CURRENT ADVISORY BOARD AND POLICY ROLES

Non-Executive Director of Health Data Research Service (2026 - )
Member of Cancer Research UK Data Advisory Board (2022 - )
Ethics Advisor to the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) (2024 -)
Ethics Advisor to UK Biobank (2011 - )

SELECTED PREVIOUS ADVISORY BOARD AND POLICY ROLES

UK Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) (2020 - 22)
Non-Executive Director, Genomics England (2013 – 22)
Chair of Chief Medical Officer’s Ethics Advisory Group informing the establishment of the United Kingdom’s 100,000 Genomes Project (2012 – 2013)
Chair of Our Future Health Ethics Advisory Board (2020 – 2025)
Chair of Nuffield Council on Bioethics Working Group on research in global health emergencies: ethical issues (2018 – 2020)
Member of Nuffield Council on Bioethics Working Group on the collection, linking and use of data in biomedical research and health care: ethical issues (2013 – 2015)
Member of Nuffield Council on Bioethics Working Group on the ethics of mitochondrial transfer (2011 – 2012)
Member of Lord Warner’s Advisory Group on the future of Research Ethics Committees (2004-5) and the Academy of Medical Sciences Independent Working Party on the Regulation and Governance of Research Ethics (2010). Together, these led to major reform of the UK research ethics committee structure and the creation of the Health Research Authority
Member of Ministerial Task Force on the Summary Care Record (2006)