"Ethics isn’t an add-on - it’s woven into how they work.”
Professor Wendy Lipworth
Staying alert to ethical risks and responsibilities in brain cancer research.
“Ethics isn’t just about ticking boxes. It’s about staying alert to risks and responsibilities throughout the life of a project — especially when technology evolves faster than regulation.”
For Professor Wendy Lipworth, that’s exactly why ethics must be embedded from the outset of any new project.
“The ethical challenges in medical research - specifically around genomics, tissue collection, and data sharing - aren’t new,” she says. “But technology keeps evolving, and each new wave, whether it’s big data or AI, brings old questions into sharper focus. Consent, privacy, ownership, custodianship - these issues are never static.”
Wendy is a Professor of Bioethics at Macquarie University and a long-standing member of Brain Cancer Australia’s National Consortium Steering Committee. She draws on more than two decades working in bioethics to support the development of Brain Cancer Australia’s national infrastructure platforms - ensuring ethical integrity is built in from the ground up.
Wendy believes Brain Cancer Australia is uniquely positioned to lead this work. “I’m in awe of the scientific calibre of the steering committee. They operate with a culture of integrity. Ethics isn’t an add-on - it’s woven into how they work.”
