Department/Institute: Department of Psychiatry

John Gallacher is Professor of Cognitive Health at Oxford University. An expert on brain health and the use of big data in medical research, Professor Gallacher holds a visiting professorship at Imperial College London and an honorary professorship at the University of Hong Kong. He is the Principal Investigator for the Caerphilly Prospective Study (CaPS).

My core research interest is in the social and ethical dimensions of innovations in neuroscience, psychiatry and related areas. In the therapeutic realm, I am particularly interested in translational impacts for children and families. My outlook is local and global, with an emphasis on connecting contextual, empirical investigations with ethical analysis and policy deliberations (empirical ethics). I believe that good neuroscience ethics requires a firm grip on the science and the ethics, and that respect for patients and understanding of context make for good and relevant neuro-ethical contributions. While in Oxford, I have developed the foundations for the Design Bioethics Lab, which develops co-designed, purpose-built engineered tools for research and engagement on the societal and ethical dimensions of biomedical innovations.