Jill Delston, an assistant professor and director of graduate studies in the Department of Philosophy, joined host Nate Fleming on the latest episode of the Inside UMSL podcast.
Philosophy and precision medicine might not seem to have much overlap, but for Jill Delston, the two fields are increasingly intertwined. As an assistant professor and director of graduate studies in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Missouri–St. Louis, Delston has been studying bioethics – the ethics of medical and biological research – for many years.
Delston appeared as a guest on the latest episode of the Inside UMSL podcast and talked to host Nate Fleming about how philosophy connects to real‑world ethics, precision medicine and student mentorship. She discussed her work with UM System’s NextGen Precision Health initiative, which seeks to deliver the next generation of personalized health care solutions by combining research with patient care. Delston is working on a book about precision health ethics and will be giving a talk with NextGen next semester.
“There are these ways in which the drive to create precision medicine interventions can actually end up either helping or hurting those health disparities that we’re worried about,” Delston said. “I do bioethics and I am interested in ethical questions that pertain to a whole host of different issues in medicine and research. It kind of shows how much doctors and researchers also want that philosophical component. They see the connections, too; it’s not just us in the humanities who see the connections. They acknowledge that there are all kinds of ethical impacts of the work that they do and they want to have that synergy.”
Delston also discussed how UMSL’s philosophy program opens unexpected pathways for meaningful impact and the factors she takes into consideration when diving into complex issues.
“When I pursue these topics, I’m really interested in having a connection to the philosophical theories and concepts that I’m investigating,” Delston said. “Of course, I’m always looking for an impact. I don’t want to be tucked away in the ivory tower thinking about issues. I want to have an impact on the world. And for that reason, it really matters that I’m discussing issues that I see are a problem and seeking to address that problem.
Hear more of the conversation between Delston and Fleming below:
