Professor Sarah Edwards appointed as new UCL Research Ethics Committee Chair

The UCL Research Ethics Committee (UCL REC) plays a vital role in upholding the highest standards of ethics and integrity to support an inclusive and diverse culture and environment for the UCL community. After co-chairing the committee for 7 years and ensuring robust and respectful debate of increasingly complex research projects, Professor Lynn Ang and Professor Michael Heinrich’s terms ended over the summer.

Following an open recruitment and selection process, Professor Sarah Edwards has been appointed as UCL REC Chair. Professor Edwards joins the committee at an exciting time and will be working closely with the Research Ethics Service in Research and Innovation Services as we progress developments in line with the UCL Strategic Plan 2022-27 commitments to reform research ethics processes. Sarah will play a key role in the upcoming selection and introduction of a new research ethics online system and the development of research ethics governance.

The Research Ethics Service will be providing regular updates on this work and welcomes suggestions and feedback through ethics@ucl.ac.uk.

About Professor Edwards

Sarah Edwards is Professor of Bioethics at UCL having trained in Psychology, Philosophy, Medical Ethics, and Law, concentrating her research career on addressing issues in research ethics. She has a track record of collaborative and interdisciplinary research having published widely in both specialist bioethics and generalist medical journals. Her research has also been influential in national and international policies and practice helping to set, and support the implementation of, professional standards, especially in relation to clinical research.  

Professor Edwards currently leads several research projects at the intersection between ethics and research methodology, especially in the field of infectious diseases, and continues to work with regulators across the world and will be co-leading a new MPA elective and standalone short course on research ethics and governance during the Spring term.