Inaugural Symposium

Opening of the Institute for Medical and Data Ethics (IMDE) at the Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University

Date: 12 and 13 May 2026

Venue: 
Institute for Medical and Data Ethics, Tiergartenstraße 15, 69121 Heidelberg
Alte Aula, University of Heidelberg, Grabengasse 1, 69117 Heidelberg

Contact: 
email
06221 56-38732

DOWNLOAD FULL PROGRAM AS PDF

• Registration Form
• To the IMDE homepage

Programme

Day 1 - Tue 12 May 2026 (Tiergartenstr. 15)

13:00-13:15	Welcome (Eva Winkler, IMDE) & Introduction (Dirk Jäger, NCT)
	First Session: Data and AI Ethics
13:15-13:45	Lukas J. Meier (Harvard University): Data-Driven Clinical Ethics Consultation: Chatbots and Specialised Decision-Support Systems
13:45-14:00	Markus Herrmann (IMDE): AI - A medical instrument like any other?
14:00-14:30	Coffee Break
	Second Session: Genome Ethics
14:30-15:00	Ruth Horn (Augsburg University): Promises, challenges, and benefits of genomics
15:00-15:15	Martin Jungkunz (IMDE): Genome Policy in practice - Current work of the EURAT platform
15:15- 15:30	Karla Alex (IMDE): Should genomic newborn screening data be used for research?
15:30-16:30	Transfer to the Old Lecture Hall - Heidelberg University A shuttle service is offered

Day 1 - evening - Tue 12 May 2026 (Alte Aula)

16:30-17:00	Entrance
17:00-17:15	Welcome speeches and opening remarks (Eva Winkler - IMDE; Michael Boutros - Heidelberg University)
17:15-17:45	Mildred Solomon (Harvard University) Democracy in Crisis and the Future of Bioethics
17:45-18:30	Expert Panel Moderation: Eva Winkler Mildred Solomon (Harvard University) Thorsten Moos (Heidelberg University) Lukas J. Meier (Harvard University) Ruth Horn (Augsburg University) Dirk Lanzerath (Bonn University) Rebecca Brendel (Harvard University)
18:30-19:30	Reception and catering

Day 2 - Wed 13 May 2026 (Tiergartenstr. 15)

09:00-09:15	Opening of the second day (Eva Winkler, IMDE)
	Third Session: Clinical Ethics
09:15-10:00	Jan Schildmann (Halle-Wittenberg University): Assisted Suicide in Germany. Empirical data, normative and practical challenges
	Katja Mehlis & Eva Winkler (IMDE) - Shared Decisions at Life’s End: Ethical Tools for Oncology Practice
	Fourth Session: Participation
10:00-10:30	Silke Schicktanz (Göttingen University): Participatory Medical Ethics - Normative and Conceptional Aspects
10:30-10:45	Christoph Schickhardt (IMDE): Democratizing biomedical research through participation?
10:45-11:00	Aline Weis (IMDE) & Cindy Körner (NCT-Heidelberg): Patient involvement
11:00-11:45	Coffee Break
	Fifth Session - Part A: Public Health Ethics
11:45-12:15	Alena Buyx (TU Munich): When Ethics Meets Crisis: Public Health Decision-Making and Distributive Justice / Priority Setting
12:15-12:30	Julia König (IMDE): Mapping and dealing with economic factors in the treatment of cancer patients
12:30-12:45	Katja Mehlis (IMDE): Financial Toxicity in Cancer Care: Ethical Implications for Patients and Health Systems
	Fifth Session - Part B: Public Health Ethics with Focus on Child Ethics
12:45-13:15	Eva Winkler (IMDE) & Christian Schaaf (Heidelberg University): Ethics of genomic newborn screening programmes
13:15-13:30	Christoph Schickhardt (IMDE): Children in Public Health
13:30	Lunch and departure