Professor Laura Machin
Personal ChairResearch Overview
Broadly, my research interests rest within the social and ethical aspects of health and medicine. In particular, I have long-standing interests in matters related to reproductive medicine, and the donation of body parts, blood and tissue for a variety of purposes. My current research interests are within the field of clinical ethics, including the need for clinical ethics committees and clinical ethicists, clinical ethics education and training, improving organisational cultures, and the interplay between practitioner, relative, and patient and their decision-making in healthcare. My emerging research focus is located within research ethics. Throughout my research activities, I adopt an applied approach, whereby I consider the policy and practice implications of the topic under study. My research has tended to be interdisciplinary in nature, drawing on a wide range of literature from medical sociology and medical ethics, and focused upon accessing hidden populations and interviewing on sensitive subjects.
Current Research
I have various research activities I am working on at present, which map onto my current broad research interests:
1) Donation studies i.e. exploring stem cell donors' perspectives on how they wish for their donations to be used; exploring ICU professionals' perspectives of the opt out policy in organ donation in England; exploring a sociology of donation
2) Clinical Ethics i.e. critically examining the need for clinical ethics and ethicists in NHS; exploring the value of training future doctors on clinical ethics; influencing organisational culture through educational leadership; understanding the ethical and legal training needs of Foundation Year doctors in England; examining the role and relationships of relatives with practitioners and patients, when patients decide to discharge against medical advice; exploring how time features in the interactions between practitioners, relatives and patients on ICU
3) Researching research ethics i.e. exploring the notion of trust within the work of research ethics committees
Research Grants
1) Donation Studies
Exploring Stem Cell Donors’ Perspectives Surrounding the Use of their Donations
In collaboration with Dr Chloe Anthias and Ann O’Leary
Funded by: Anthony Nolan
Exploring Perceptions of Quality Cord Blood Samples in Stem Cell Treatments
In collaboration with Dr Takuya Matsushige, National Institute of Public Health, Japan
Funded by: The Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation
Exploring Egg, Sperm, and Potential Donors’ Satisfaction
Funded by: National Gamete Donor Trust
2) Clinical Ethics
Changing the Workplace Culture: Empowering the Multiprofessional Team to Develop Future Educational Leaders
In collaboration with Miss Suzanne Gawne and Dr Rebecca Fish
Funded by: East Lancashire Hospital Trust
Aspects of Patient Self-Discharge Against Medical Advice
In collaboration with Dr David Warriner, University of Sheffield.
Funded by: Early Career Small Grants Scheme, Lancaster University
Connections of workplace cultures, patient safety and dignity
In collaboration with Dr Dawn Goodwin, Lancaster University
Funded by: Economic and Social Research Council
Research Interests
Broadly, my research interests rest within the social and ethical aspects of health and medicine. Throughout my research career, I have focused upon the social and ethical aspects surrounding reproductive medicine, in particular sex selection technology, and gamete and embryo donation. I have explored reproductive medical tourism, as well as the moral and political aspects of umbilical cord blood banking.
My recent research interests have extended to donation studies, which incorporates the social and ethical aspects of the donation of body parts, blood and tissue for a variety of purposes including art, education, transplantation, and research and development. I have supervised research students on healthcare professionals' decision making around organ donation, and have explored the use of donated deceased bodies to teach anatomy to medical students. My experiences sitting on internal and external research ethics committees has generated a new research interest, culminating in supervising two PhD students within the field of research ethics.
My continuing enthusiasm for conducting empirical research developed during my doctorate, with a particular interest in accessing hidden populations and interviewing on sensitive subjects. This is reflected in my work with Dr David Warriner at the University of Sheffield on the social and ethical aspects of patients discharging themselves against medical advice. Similarly, my pleasure at conducting cross-cultural comparisons started with my PhD, when I conducted interviews with key stakeholders in the development of embryo donation in Australia and the UK, and fostered my collaboration with Dr Matsushige at the National Institute of Public Health in Japan, where we explored the notion of ‘quality’ in cord blood treatments.
Throughout my research activities, I always adopt an applied approach, whereby I consider the policy and practice implications of the topic under study. This is reflected in my collaborations with not-for-profit organisations including Anthony Nolan to explore stem cell donors’ perspectives surrounding the use of their donations, and the National Gamete Donation Trust to examine gamete donors’ satisfaction with the donation process.
Current Teaching
Undergraduate Teaching
Problem Based Learning: I am a PBL tutor for first year medical students
Lectures: I lecture to first to fourth year medical students on the ethical aspects of the curriculum theme 'Professional Practice, Values and Ethics', including topics such as dignity, research ethics, and doctors' rights
Debates: I organise medical ethics and law debates to second year medical students with a range of debate motions on genetic testing and paternalism.
Ethical Decision-Making Workshops: I convene developing clinical ethical decision making skills workshops for first year medical students.
Interprofessional Education: I co-organise and co-faciliate a range of IPE activities for fourth and fifth year medical students to learn about health and social care ethics, including matters are end of life. The sessions can involve paramedic, social work, and clinical psychology students, and can be in the format of a clinical ethics committee, or a debate.
Academic Tutor: I act as an academic tutor for students across first to fourth years.
Postgraduate Teaching
Workshops: I provide workshops on research ethics as part of the MSc Clinical Research within Lancaster Medical School, and to support continuing professional development courses within CETAD.
PhDs Examined
External examiner:
- Stephanie Parsons, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University
- Ginny Mounce, School of Health Sciences, University of Surrey
- Kylie Baldwin, Applied Social Sciences, De Montfort University.
Internal examiner:
- Simon Reader, School of Politics, Philosophy and Religion, Lancaster University.
External Roles
Currently:
Chair, Institutional Review Board, Anthony Nolan
Advisor, UK Research Integrity Office
Editorial Board Member, Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics
Editorial Board Member, Journal of Medical Law and Ethics
Institute of Medical Ethics Education Committee
BSA Deconstructing Donation Study Group Convenor
Invited member of UHMBT Organ Donation Committee
Previously:
Institute of Medical Ethics Trustee
BSA Human Reproduction Co-Convenor
NHS Research Ethics Committee member - North West
Editorial Board Member, Morecambe Bay Medical Journal
Additional Information
Research Supervision: Postgraduate
My postgraduate supervision has centered on professionals’ decision making in varying contexts of medicine. Theoretically, these studies have been interdisciplinary in nature, informed by medical ethics and medical sociology literature. Methodologically, these projects have involved conducting semi-structured interviews, which have been analysed using a thematic analysis. I have recently extended by supervision topics to include researchers’ ethics in practice, which is in line with my growing administration and research activities in the area.
Current PhD students include:
Becky Case. The role of trust in the work of research ethics review. (co-supervisor Dr Mark Limmer, University of Lancaster)
Successfully supervised PhD students include:
Anna Chiumento. ‘How researchers construct and apply “ethics” to mental health research with post-conflict humanitarian populations (co-supervisors Professor Atif Rahman; Dr Lucy Frith – Uni. Of Liverpool)
Past MRes students include:
Alex Wright. ‘End of life decision-making in the Intensive Care Unit’ (co-supervisor Dr Rachel Markham, Royal Lancaster Infirmary)
Heather Dixon. ‘‘Ethical’ decision making in organ donation’ (co-supervisor Dr Mark Wilkinson, Royal Lancaster Infirmary)
Research Supervision: Undergraduate
I have supervised third year projects relating to my ongoing and emerging research interests:
Justine Milward. ‘How is a fertility preservation consultation approached by healthcare professionals in adolescents with cancer?’
Matthew McGee. ‘The purpose of medical oath taking’
Current Positions of Responsibility: Internal
Member, University Research Ethics Committee Member
Chair, Faculty of Health and Medicine Research Ethics Committee
Facutly Representative, University Education Committee
PhD Supervision Interests
I am interested in postgraduate supervision in the following areas: - Donation studies - Clinical ethics - Research ethics
Selected Publications
'Two's company-Three's a crowd': the collection of umbilical cord blood for commercial stem cell banks in England and the midwifery profession
Machin, L.L., Brown, N., McLeod, D. 06/2012 In: Midwifery. 28, 3, p. 358-365. 8 p.
Journal article
A hierarchy of needs?: Embryo donation, in vitro fertilisation and the provision of infertility counselling
Machin, L. 11/2011 In: Patient Education and Counseling. 85, 2, p. 264-268. 5 p.
Journal article
Immunitary bioeconomy: the economisation of life in the international cord blood market
Brown, N., Machin, L., McLeod, D. 04/2011 In: Social Science and Medicine. 72, 7, p. 1115-1122. 8 p.
Journal article
Beyond the 'embryo question': human embryonic stem cell ethics in the context of biomaterial donation in the UK
Bahadur, G., Morrison, M., Machin, L. 12/2010 In: Reproductive BioMedicine Online. 21, 7, p. 868-874. 7 p.
Journal article
Are there implications for quality of care for patients who participate in international medical tourism?
Lunt, N., Machin, L., Green, S., Mannion, R. 04/2011 In: Expert Review of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research. 11, 2, p. 133-136. 4 p.
Journal article
All Publications
Adopters Advocacy
24/07/2023 → …
Research
Adopters Mental Health
02/03/2023 → …
Research
World Marrow Donor Association
16/12/2022 → 15/12/2023
Research
Being Discharged from Hospital: Patient, Caregiver and Staff Perspectives of Pathways 1 & 2 of the Discharge to Assess Model
01/04/2022 → 31/03/2023
Research
Exploring Publics’, Healthy Donors’, and Potential Donors’ Perspectives on Stem Cell Donation for Novel Treatments, and Commercial Research and Development
01/02/2022 → 31/03/2023
Research
Clinical Ethics for Mental Health Professionals: A Global Perspective, A Local Response
01/09/2021 → 31/12/2021
Research
Speaking Up and Speaking Out: Exploring the Ethical Challenges for UK Foundation Doctors
01/04/2019 → 31/07/2019
Research
Changing the Workplace Culture: Empowering the Multi-professional Team to Develop Future Educational Leaders
01/03/2019 → 31/08/2019
Research
Exploring Ethical Uncertainty when Making Decisions in Intensive Care Unit
01/08/2018 → 21/12/2018
Research
Exploring stem cell donors’ perspectives surrounding the use of their donations
01/07/2018 → 30/09/2019
Research
A national service development survey of Foundation doctors' medical ethics and law training
01/06/2017 → 01/06/2018
Other
Sociology of Donation
10/12/2014 → 30/09/2020
Research
Connections of Workplace Cultures, Patient Safety and Dignity
01/08/2014 → 19/12/2014
Other
Interprofessional Ethics Education
01/02/2014 → 01/05/2020
Other
UHMBT STudentships: End of Life Decision Making in the Intensive Care Unit
01/09/2013 → 31/08/2014
Research
Exploring Perceptions of Quality Umbilical Cord Blood in Stem Cell Treatments
01/07/2013 → 30/06/2016
Research
How do researchers construct and apply “ethics” to the conduct of mental health research with post-conflict humanitarian populations?
03/09/2012 → 08/08/2017
Research
Social and Ethical Aspects of Medical Self-Discharge
03/09/2012 → 31/07/2014
Other
UHMBT Ethical Decision Making in Organ Donation
01/09/2012 → 31/08/2013
Research
Learning about Bodies: Intersection of Technology, Morality, and Pedagogy
01/05/2012 → 22/12/2014
Other
Egg and Sperm Donor Satisfaction Survey
01/06/2011 → 31/05/2012
Research
Breaking the Silence on Adopters' Mental Health: The Hard Stuff to Say; The Hard Stuff to Hear
Invited talk
A Brief Review of Ethics for Those Working in Laboratories
Business Course/Training
BSA Deconstructing Donation Conference
Participation in conference - Academic
Advocating for Adopters through Research
Invited talk
NHS England Designing Ethics, Law and Professionalism Masterclass
Invited talk
Member, Proportionate Review Board Cell and Gene Therapies
Consultancy
Laboratory Ethics Training
Business Course/Training
Insider Research Ethics
Invited talk
Rachael Dibble
Hosting a student (Other)
Sam Bradley
Hosting a student (Other)
Olayemi Oluwaleye
Hosting a student (Other)
Exploring Prospective Donors’ Perspectives on Stem Cell Donation for Cell and Gene Therapy Research and Development
Oral presentation
Exploring Prospective Donors' Perspectives on Stem Cell Donation for Cell and Gene Therapy Research and Donation
Invited talk
Building Reflective Spaces for Foundation Doctors
Oral presentation
Lina Hamad
Hosting a student (Other)
All Things Ethics! Journal Club for Medical Students and Foundation Doctors
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Ethics by Design and In Practice
Invited talk
Member, Anthony Nolan Institutional Review Board Cell and Gene Therapies
Consultancy
All Party Parliamentary Group on Adoption and Permanence (External organisation)
Membership of committee
Ethicist
Expert Opinion
Sociology of Health and Illness (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Donation Ethics? Ethical Uncertainties in the Face of Deemed Consent for Organ Donation in the UK
Invited talk
East Lancashire Hospital Trust Research Development Quality Assurance Group (External organisation)
Membership of committee
Ethical Un/Certainties in the Face of Deemed Consent for Organ Donation in the UK
Invited talk
Ethics Education = Ethics Experts, Ethics Expertise, or Prepared for Practice?
Invited talk
Laboratory Ethics Training
Business Course/Training
Clinical Ethics Committee Lancashire and South Cumbria Trust (External organisation)
Membership of committee
Donor Research Network (External organisation)
Membership of network
Regional Training Programme for Academic Foundation Doctors
Consultancy
Foundation Doctors Ethics and Law Training Programme
Consultancy
Clinical Ethics Committee Morecambe Bay Hospital Trust (External organisation)
Membership of committee
Laboratory Ethics Training
Business Course/Training
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians Clinical Ethics Working Party
Expert Opinion
NHS B&T Organ Donation & Transplant Research Network (External organisation)
Membership of network
Informing and Influencing Curriculum and Practice: Foundation Doctors' Medical Ethics and Legal Training Needs
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Healthcare Professionals’ Decisions to Facilitate Organ Donation in the Intensive Care Unit: A Matter of Conscience?
Invited talk
A Matter of Conscience? Organ Donation in the Intensive Care Unit
Oral presentation
Opting Out of Opting Out? Organ Donation in the UK and Conscientious Objection
Oral presentation
Reflections on Making the (Business) Case for Clinical Ethics
Oral presentation
Engaging Tomorrow's and Current UK Healthcare Practitioners in Clinical Ethics Education
Oral presentation
Proposing a Minimum Ethics and Law Curriculum for UK Foundation Doctors
Invited talk
Julia Parkhouse
Hosting an academic visitor
Angela Smith
Hosting an academic visitor
Designing Interprofessional Education
Oral presentation
Chair, Anthony Nolan Institutional Review Board for Cell and Gene Therapies
Consultancy
External Examiner - PhD Viva and Thesis
Examination
The ‘Vulnerable’ Practitioner: Exploring the Ethical and Legal Training Needs of UK Foundation Doctors
Invited talk
Risky research: challenging assumptions, practices, and understandings
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Exploring the Ethical and Legal Training Needs of Foundation Doctors
Oral presentation
Exploring the Ethical and Legal Training Needs of Foundation Doctors
Oral presentation
Reimagining Donation
Invited talk
Exploring the Medical Ethics and Legal Training Needs of Foundation Doctors
Invited talk
UK Research Integrity Office (External organisation)
Member of Advisory Panel
Research ethics, donation ethics, and commercial ventures involving donations from stem cell donors
Business Course/Training
BSA Deconstructing Donation Study Group Conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
The British Council (External organisation)
Membership of committee
Ethics Education in the UK Foundation Years
Invited talk
External Examiner PhD Viva and Thesis
Examination
North West of England Foundation School Academic Foundation Sub Committee (External organisation)
Membership of committee
External Examiner PhD Viva and Thesis
Examination
How to become more ethical
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics (Journal)
Editorial activity
Morecambe Bay Medical Journal (Journal)
Editorial activity
Takuya Matsushige
Hosting an academic visitor
BSA Deconstructing Donation Study Group Conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Medical Ethics Debating Competition
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Palgrave Macmillan (Publisher)
Publication peer-review
American Ethnologist (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Is a universal code of ethics possible for all health care professionals?
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Journal of Medical Law and Ethics (Journal)
Editorial activity
The Ethics of Self-discharge from Hospital
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Donors, Money, and Body Parts: what are the issues?
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
British Sociological Association Medical Sociology
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Understanding Gamete Donors as Altruists, Patients and Customers
Oral presentation
Exploring Perceptions of Quality Cord Blood for Stem Cell Treatments
Invited talk
Symposium on Language, Culture and Medicine
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Faculty of Health and Medicine Teaching and Learning Forum
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Global Medicine and Civilisations: An International Medical Film Festival
Festival/Exhibition/Concert
Networking and Career Development
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Institute of Medical Ethics National Debate Competition
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
The Social and Ethical Aspects of Self-Discharge: Patient and Professional Perspectives
Oral presentation
Social and Ethical Aspects of Health and Medicine Journal Club
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Journal of Medical Law and Ethics (Journal)
Editorial activity
British Sociological Association Deconstructing Donation Special Interest Group (External organisation)
Membership of network
Institute of Medical Ethics Education Committee (External organisation)
Membership of committee
Institute of Medical Ethics Trustee (External organisation)
Membership of board
Deconstructing Donation
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Hour of Writes
Festival/Exhibition/Concert
Lancaster University Researcher Ethics Network Seminar Series
Participation in workshop, seminar, course
Exploring Perceptions of 'Quality' Umbilical Cord Blood Therapies in Japan and the UK
Invited talk
Lancaster Medical School Medical Ethics Society Conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
'Pendulum of Power': Medical Dominance in the Case of Self-Discharge
Oral presentation
'Please don't go': Healthcare Professionals' Duty of Care in the Face of Self-Discharge
Oral presentation
Takuya Matsushige
Hosting an academic visitor
Institute of Medical Ethics National Debate Competition
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Routledge (Publisher)
Publication peer-review
British Sociological Association Human Reproduction Annual Conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
New Genetics and Society (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Palgrave Macmillan (Publisher)
Publication peer-review
NHS Research Ethics Committee (North West) (External organisation)
Membership of committee
Deconstructing Accountability
Invited talk
Health (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Sage (Publisher)
Publication peer-review
Clinical Ethics (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Education Day
Business Course/Training
Morecambe Bay Hospital Trust Organ Donation Committee (External organisation)
Membership of committee
Lancaster Girls' Grammar School
School Engagement
Lancaster University and Hospitals Seminar Series
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
Medical Ethics Debating Series
Public Lecture/ Debate/Seminar
The Current Status of Cord Blood Donation, Banking, and Transplantation in the UK
Invited talk
British Sociological Association Human Reproduction Annual Conference
Participation in conference -Mixed Audience
Human Reproduction (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Reproductive BioMedicine Online (Journal)
Publication peer-review
Cord Blood Collection and the Notion of Compromise
Invited talk
All Party Parliamentary Group on Stem Cell Transplantation (External organisation)
Membership of committee
British Citizen Award
Prize (including medals and awards)
Scientific Supporter of the Year Anthony Nolan Support Awards
Prize (including medals and awards)