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Short abstract

We present “ethics residencies” as a new approach to integrating bioethical inquiry into everyday scientific practices. Using Bioethics-in-Proteomics (BiP) as a case study, we discuss the methodology, as well as its results and challenges for exploring ethics in protein-oriented research.

Long abstract

We present Bioethics-in-Proteomics (BiP) as a case study for a new approach to integrating bioethical inquiry into everyday scientific practices.

Protein research has long been part of biological, biomedical, and clinical research. Nonetheless, protein and proteomics research have garnered little attention from bioethics. The BiP study explores the ethical dimensions of protein-oriented research practices. It has two aims: (1) addressing the research gap on the ethics of proteomics, and (2) piloting a methodology for weaving ethical inquiry into protein-oriented research practices.

BiP follows a residency-based, mixed-methods approach inspired by methods in science and technology studies. I, a bioethics researcher with a life sciences background, completed two 7- to 9-week “ethics residencies” in three different protein-oriented research groups (mass spectrometry, bioinformatics, and biochemistry). I combined participant observation, a ‘provenance workshop’, and a qualitative diary study to support the co-creative exploration of ethical dimensions in proteomics/protein research. Participating researchers are prompted to look at their own practices in new ways. ‘Provenance maps’ made visible how protein research workflows are deeply connected to the world through the research materials and tools used. ‘Reflection diaries’ allowed researchers to reflect on materials and practices in their day-to-day work.

I will present how this methodology made it possible to co-creatively identify ethical dimensions relating to e.g., the scientific and data labor supporting protein databases, and uncertainty of results in protein analysis. At the same time, I will describe how I experienced challenges related to shifting positions of dependency and power, spatial discomfort, and translating between disciplines.