Coordinator
Douglas Sipp
B.A.
Stem Cells and Society
LocationKobe / Developmental Biology Buildings
E-maildouglas.sipp@riken.jp
Stem cell biology and related fields have a long and broad history of ethical, legal and societal issues (ELSI), ranging from research uses of human blastocyst-derived embryonic stem cells, to the generation of human-animal chimeric embryos, to uses in germline genome editing and experimental tissue regenerative modalities. My interest in this area was first captured by the growth of a black market in which supposed “stem cell” based interventions were aggressively marketed to patients despite the lack of compelling evidence for safety and efficacy, and the absence of any meaningful regulatory oversight.
Seeking to understand how such an industry could emerge and thrive led me down many unexpected avenues, from history and philosophy of science, to health economics, to regulation and health law. My research to date has been accordingly multidisciplinary, and I have published work with co-authors in the fields of bio- and medical ethics, anthropology, sociology, law, economics and history of science, as well as numerous collaborations with stem cell biologists and physician-scientists.
Looking ahead, I plan to expand my focus deeper and wider, with the ultimate goal of gaining a better understanding of how stem cells have come to occupy such a fraught and complex societal niche.
Selected Publications
Sipp D, Sleeboom-Faulkner M
Downgrading of regulation in regenerative medicine.
Science
365(6454), 644–646 (2019)
doi: 10.1126/science.aax6184
Sipp D, Robey PG, Turner L
Clear up this stem-cell mess.
Nature
561(7724), 455–457 (2018)
doi: 10.1038/d41586-018-06756-9
Charo RA, Sipp D.
Rejuvenating regenerative medicine regulation.
New England Journal of Medicine
378(6), 504–505 (2018)
doi: 10.1126/10.1056/NEJMp1715736
Sipp D, Caulfield T, Kaye J, et al.
Marketing of unproven stem cell–based interventions: a call to action.
Science Translational Medicine
9 (397), eaag0426 (2017)
doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aag0426
Sipp D, McCabe C and Rasko JEJ.
Show drugs work before selling them.
Nature
543(7644), 174–175 (2017)
doi: 10.1038/543174a
Caulfield T, Sipp D, Murry CE, et al.
Confronting stem cell hype.
Science
352(6287), 776–777 (2016)
doi: 10.1126/science.aaf4620
Berger I, Ahmad A, Bansal A, et al.
Global distribution of businesses marketing stem cell-based interventions.
Cell Stem Cell
19 (2), 158-162 (2016)
doi: 10.1016/j.stem.2016.07.015
Bianco P, Sipp D.
Sell help not hope.
Nature
510(7505), 336–337 (2014)
doi: 10.1038/510336a
Sipp D, Turner L.
U.S. regulation of stem cells as medical products.
Science
338(6112), 1296–1297 (2012)
doi: 10.1126/science.1229918
Sipp D.
Pay-to-participate funding schemes in human cell and tissue clinical studies.
Regenerative Medicine
7(6 Suppl), 105–111 (2012)
doi: 10.2217/rme.12.75
