Science and medicine are moving faster than at any point in history, but often too little time is taken to look at the questions of morality and justice that this biorevolution is creating.

Science, medicine and morality intersect in many places, including biomedical discoveries, public health and health policy and at the bedside. Answers to the dilemmas these intersections create come from hard work and careful study.

The Phoebe R. Berman Bioethics Institute seeks to identify and anticipate these challenges, works towards their resolution and trains others to do the same.



Anticipate. Convene. Teach.

Anticipate. There is no such thing as value-neutral science. Biomedical research offers tremendous promise to improve the quality of our lives, but there are ethical risks to many breakthroughs. Knowing what the challenges will be before they become crises is the key to successfully navigating difficult topics.

That’s why the Berman Bioethics Institute works to be a ‘moral forecaster,’ helping scientists, policy makers and the public anticipate and address tomorrow’s questions.

Convene. The Berman Institute of Bioethics believes answers to bioethical dilemmas demand dialogue, and the broader the perspective the better. With one of the largest bioethics faculties in the nation, we have expertise from across the Johns Hopkins Institutions. And with our reputation for tackling the hardest questions with skill and persistence, we bring top thinkers from around the world to work on these questions.

We seek to bring the best voices to bear on problems, and use our skills to define and navigate difficult topics.

Teach. Serious ethical reflection requires serious training. The Institute’s mission is to prepare the next generation of leaders in bioethics. To that end we offer programs in bioethics for graduate and undergraduate students, as well as specialized training for post-doctoral fellows and fellowship programs, and a special training program in research ethics for scientists and professionals from sub-Saharan Africa.

Our graduates are future leaders in bioethics and bring the techniques and approaches they learned here at Johns Hopkins to bear in their fields all over the world.

Get involved.

You can become a part of the dialogue on these dilemmas by supporting the Berman Institute. Your gift will allow our faculty and staff to work on issues that impact us all.

Supporters of the Institute receive special communications on issues of ethical importance and have opportunities to participate in discussions on morality, medicine and science. Click here to see what events are coming up.

You can make a gift online or please make your check out to the "Bioethics Institute – JHU”  and send to:

The Berman Institute of Bioethics
100 N. Charles, Suite 740
Baltimore, MD  21201

For more information please contact: