Our Collaborators

The Cambridge Centre for Law, Medicine and Life Sciences (“LML”) advances research and teaching on various legal and ethical challenges at the forefront of medicine and the life sciences. Its research areas include 1) medical research, innovations and incentives, 2) human biomaterials and personal data, 3) emerging technologies, 4) healthcare and medicine, and 5) public health.

In addressing these and many other challenges, LML looks beyond the boundaries of medical law as traditionally conceived. LML’s members specialise not only in medical law and bioethics, but also in areas such as competition law, family law, human rights, public law, information law, international law and intellectual property. In addition, many have training in disciplines other than law (including medicine, economics, history and philosophy) and relevant professional experience (including legal practice, private consultancy and civil service).

CMEL will now be able to focus not only on achieving co-ordination between disciplines, but also across continents with the help of Cambridge University relationship. Funded by the Hatton Trust and the WYNG Foundation, a Lectureship in Medical Law, Ethics and Policy at Cambridge University and a Junior Research Fellowship in Medical Law, Ethics and Policy at Cambridge’s Trinity Hall will be created. The sponsored scholars will visit CMEL at HKU and spend up to four weeks at the University annually to facilitate research interactions between Cambridge University, Trinity Hall and HKU. A variety of guest lectures and seminars at CMEL will be provided for the academic community and the general public. The international collaboration with Cambridge University will enable CMEL to draw on the expertise of visiting scholars and deepen its research connections among staffs.



The ceremony on September 16, 2014 marked the public launch of the ongoing co-operation between HKU Centre for Medical Ethics and Law (CMEL) and Cambridge University.

Dr. John Spencer of Cambridge University and Mr. Terry Kaan of CMEL officiated at the ceremony.
 


Dr. John Spencer gave a public lecture on “Criminalising sickness? Liability for the transmission of disease”.

Located within the Genome Quebec Innovation Centre at McGill University, the CGP works at the crossroads of law, medicine, and public policy. Applying a multidisciplinary perspective and collaborating with national and international partners, the CGP analyzes the socio-ethical and legal norms influencing the promotion, prevention and protection of human health.  Currently, the CGP’s research covers six areas of genomics and policy: stem cell research and therapies, pediatrics, privacy, cancer, intellectual property, and biobanks (population genetics). These domains are approached using three guiding foundations: internationalization, policy development and knowledge transfer. First, CGP promotes internationalization by undertaking comparative analyses of policies and guidelines around the world. Secondly, CGP actively participates in the creation of international consortia with a view to promoting multidisciplinary policymaking. Finally, via the HumGen law and policy database, the CGP promotes knowledge transfer.

CMEL has had a long-standing connection to the CGP through its relationship with CGP Director Professor Bartha Maria Knoppers, also a member of the CMEL international Advisory Board.  Prof. Knoppers’ April 2015 visit, including a public lecture and planned meeting, served as an opportunity to discuss formalizing the collaborative relationship with CMEL and the WYNG Foundation. On 18 May 2017, CGP Director Professor Bartha Maria Knoppers visited HKU and signed this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) which formally recorded this collaborating partnership.



Professor Knoppers delivered the keynote presentation at the “Who Owns Your Body?” Conference on 7 April 2017.