Sankary Neuroethics Lab

Lauren Sankary, J.D., M.A., HEC-C is an Assistant Professor in the UT Southwestern Department of Neurological Surgery and the O'Donnell Brain Institute and a Clinical Ethicist at Clements University Hospital. Prof. Sankary conducts empirical investigations in clinical and translational research ethics with a strong track record of NIH and foundation funding. Her research applies legal, qualitative, and empirical bioethics research methods to investigate ethical issues in clinical research involving vulnerable patient populations, drawing upon her direct experience supporting informed consent as a clinical ethicist and research consent monitor for participants enrolling in innovative neurological research.

Prof. Sankary began her research career with NIH BRAIN Initiative-funded postdoctoral training examining ethical considerations related to explant of implanted neurotechnology and long-term implications of participation in biotechnology research (F32MH115419). She subsequently led two national survey studies investigating unanticipated challenges that arise in obtaining informed consent in research involving cognitively vulnerable patient populations (funded by NINDS 3UH3NS100543-03S1) and multiple stakeholder views on barriers to remote consent practices necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic (funded by NIA 3P30AG062428-02S2). She also has experience leading community-based research to address mistrust contributing to underrepresentation of minoritized populations in brain related research, supported by a 2023 Cleveland Clinic Caregiver Catalyst Award. Prof. Sankary’s recent study funded by the NIH Office of the Director investigated ethically optimal approaches to capturing participant feedback and informing research participants in early exploratory neurotechnology research in humans (3R01AT011905-02S1). Her current research supported by an Alzheimer’s Association Research Grant (AARG-22-9744622) employs Delphi methods to build expert consensus regarding responsible approaches to sharing Alzheimer’s disease risk information with research participants. Through her research, Prof. Sankary aims to promote alignment between research and community priorities and address barriers to the ethical recruitment and return of value in neurological research.