Call for abstracts for a workshop and edited volume on “Ethical, legal, and social issues of artificial intelligence in biobanking”

DEADLINE EXTENDED to 16 NOVEMBER 2021!

Artificial intelligence (AI) systems and big data analytics in biobanking are essential components to deliver improved individual care and contribute to the global disease burden reduction. They are also among central elements that contribute to the transformation of biobanking and data sharing practices, shed light on existing biobank research challenges, and highlight new tensions pertaining to individual and societal values, rights, and ethical principles, as well as established research governance practices and structures.

They pose such questions as: what challenges does the digitalization of biobanking bring along and how should they be tackled? How could the right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications and right to health be furthered, whilst effectively safeguarding individual and societal interests at stake? How do we cater to increasing AI-system appetite for data in a globalized world, and in the absence of a common legal framework? How do the new initiatives and frameworks, such as the proposed AI Regulation and the European Health Data Space have potential to further AI & biobanking? How do AI systems and big data analytics challenge rights and values? What, if any, new or tailored safeguards are needed? What is the research ethics committees’ capacity to review research proposals involving AI? What challenges does AI pose for informed consent to biobank-based research? Can AI meet its expectations and overcome bias by design? Does AI create new vulnerabilities?

BBMRI-ERIC and the editors, Michaela Theresia Mayrhofer (PhD, BBMRI-ERIC), Signe Mežinska (Professor, University of Latvia) and Santa Slokenberga (LL.D., Uppsala University, Nordic Permed Law) welcome submissions on the ethical, legal, social, gender, and governance issues that artificial intelligence poses in biobanking, including but not limited to:

• Transformation of biobanking and associated challenges, e.g. new and enhanced approaches of scientific research, data and sample flows and the role of scientists, and emerging tensions in the field;
• Challenges and conflicts attributed to individual and societal values, rights, norms, and ethical principles, including questions relating to gender, race and equality, vulnerability as well as participant recruitment and informed consent;
• RRI, scientific quality, and ethical review;
• Governance and regulation of AI systems in biobanking, ethics by design and default, ethics oversight and accountability.

DEADLINE EXTENDED! Please email your abstract (500 words) by 16 November 2021 to contact@bbmri-eric.eu.

• If the proposal is accepted, draft manuscript must be submitted by 31 January 2022, and the final version must be submitted by 22 April 2022.
• The workshop will be held digitally in the first half of February 2022.
• The manuscripts should not exceed 8,000 – 10,000 words.
• Publisher: TBD

Download the flyer here (PDF).