Debra Mathews

About

Debra Mathews, PhD, MA, is the Associate Director for Research and Programs at the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics and a Professor in the Department of Genetic Medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Her academic work focuses on ethics and policy issues raised by emerging technologies, with particular emphasis on genetics, stem cell science, neuroscience, synthetic biology, and artificial intelligence. She leads the Genomics and Society Mentorship Program and serves as the Chair of the Berman Institute’s Inclusion, Diversity, Anti-Racism, and Equity (IDARE) Committee. Within the Institute for Assured Autonomy (IAA), she functions as the Ethics & Governance Lead, guiding work on the ethical, societal, and governance implications of autonomous systems and integrating ethics into related priorities.

Research topics

• Computer Science
• Biology
• Engineering ethics
• Political Science
• Cell biology
• Biotechnology
• Artificial Intelligence
• Engineering
• Genetics
• Law

Selected publications

• ISSCR Guidelines for Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation: The 2021 update

  Stem Cell Reports · 2021 · 343 citations

  The International Society for Stem Cell Research has updated its Guidelines for Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation in order to address advances in stem cell science and other relevant fields, together with the associated ethical, social, and policy issues that have arisen since the last update in 2016. While growing to encompass the evolving science, clinical applications of stem cells, and the increasingly complex implications of stem cell research for society, the basic principles und…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Human embryo research, stem cell-derived embryo models and in vitro gametogenesis: Considerations leading to the revised ISSCR guidelines

  Stem Cell Reports · 2021 · 126 citations

  The ISSCR Guidelines for Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation were last revised in 2016. Since then, rapid progress has been made in research areas related to in vitro culture of human embryos, creation of stem cell-based embryo models, and in vitro gametogenesis. Therefore, a working group of international experts was convened to review the oversight process and provide an update to the guidelines. This report captures the discussion and summarizes the major recommendations made by this…

  DOI

• Ethical, legal, and social issues in the Earth BioGenome Project

  Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · 2022-01-18 · 32 citations

  articleOpen access

  The Earth BioGenome Project (EBP) is an audacious endeavor to obtain whole-genome sequences of representatives from all eukaryotic species on Earth. In addition to the project's technical and organizational challenges, it also faces complicated ethical, legal, and social issues. This paper, from members of the EBP's Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues (ELSI) Committee, catalogs these ELSI concerns arising from EBP. These include legal issues, such as sample collection and permitting; the applicabi…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Stem cell-based embryo models: The 2021 ISSCR stem cell guidelines revisited

  Stem Cell Reports · 2025-06-01 · 21 citations

  reviewOpen access

  Human stem cell-based embryo models (SCBEMs) are a research technology with the potential to facilitate our understanding of human embryogenesis, improve assisted reproductive technology outcomes, elucidate the causes of early pregnancy failure, and provide a clearer understanding of the developmental origins of disease. Given that human SCBEMs are designed to model specific phenotypic features and developmental processes of human embryos, they raise distinct concerns from other stem cell models…

  PublisherDOI

• The Earth BioGenome Project Phase II: illuminating the eukaryotic tree of life

  Frontiers in Science · 2025-09-04 · 19 citations

  articleOpen access

  The Earth BioGenome Project (EBP) aims to "sequence life for the future of life" by generating high-quality reference genome sequences for all recognized eukaryotic species, thereby building a rich knowledge base to inform conservation, inspire bioindustry, ensure food security, advance medicine, and establish a deeper understanding of biodiversity. As the EBP works toward completing the original Phase I goal-a reference genome for each of the approximately 10,000 taxonomic families of eukaryote…

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

Recent grants

• NIH Grant R13MH081769

  NIH · $50k · 2009

• Families At Risk: Long-term Impact of Huntington's Presymptomatic Genetic Testi

  NIH · $1.5M · 2014–2021

Frequent coauthors

• Jeremy Sugarman

  95 shared

• Juli Bollinger

  Johns Hopkins University

  79 shared

• Gail Geller

  Johns Hopkins Medicine

  74 shared

• Jeffrey Kahn

  57 shared

• Elizabeth May

  38 shared

• Alan Regenberg

  33 shared

• Ruth Faden

  Johns Hopkins University

  31 shared

• Allison F. McCague

  Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics

  30 shared

Education

• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Bioethics and Health Policy

  Johns Hopkins University

  2004

• PhD, Genetics

  Case Western Reserve University

  2002

• MA, Bioethics

  Case Western Reserve University

  2000

• Bachelor of Science, Biology

  Pennsylvania State University

  1997

Awards & honors

• Greenwall Fellowship in Bioethics and Health Policy at Johns…
• President of the International Neuroethics Society

Similar researchers at Johns Hopkins University

• Mary Catherine Beachh-87
• Ruth R. Fadenh-71