This research area explores the complex questions that biomedical sciences, innovations, and technologies pose to individuals, groups, and society at large. By crossing disciplinary boundaries, our research integrates qualitative and quantitative methods and provide conceptual and theoretical understanding by drawing on our expertise in science and technology studies (STS), as well as the sociology of health and biomedicine.
Our work is driven not only by advancements in biomedical science, technology, and practice but also by the broader ethical, legal, political, economic, and social challenges these developments raise. The way diseases are understood influences how healthcare is organized and delivered, how biomedical research is managed, and which forms of knowledge are deemed relevant. These processes, in turn, shape individuals’ experiences of health and illness in profound ways.
For instance, new insights into tumour biology in cancer research lead to novel treatment options, disrupting traditional classification schemes. At the same time, population studies on cancer biomarkers create new categories of medical risk, introducing the concept of ‘patients-in-waiting’—individuals placed under medical surveillance due to emerging predictive technologies.
Additionally, our research critically examines contemporary challenges to biomedical sciences. We scrutinize the processes by which knowledge claims—often rejected by established biomedical institutions—seek legitimacy. By investigating these contested practices, we contribute to a deeper understanding of how scientific authority is negotiated and reshaped in contemporary society.
Specific articulations of this research area are:
- Public discourses on biomedicine, health, and illness – Investigating how media narratives, both traditional and digital, shape public expectations and societal engagement with emerging biomedical technologies, influencing their development and adoption.
- Biomedical technology in practice – Examining how emerging biomedical technologies reshape clinical settings, caregiving practices, and societal understandings of the body, health, and illness.
- Ethical and social implications of biomedical innovation – Assessing the challenges posed by biomedical advancements, with a focus on inclusivity, equity, and sustainability in healthcare and research.
- Socio-technical dimensions of biomedical innovation – Exploring how social, cultural, and material factors influence the design, implementation, and impact of biomedical technologies.
Projects
- Fattori e processi sociali che influenzano l’accettazione di conoscenze scientifiche rifiutate (CSR)
- SYNCH: A SYnaptically connected brain-silicon Neural Closed-loop Hybrid system
- Facing Dementia and Cognitive Impairment. A Transdisciplinary Approach through Supportive Care: a sociological perspective
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