Center for Research Ethics

The Center for Research Ethics was established in 2005 at the University of Tulsa by Drs. Michael Basso and Dennis Combs. It is devoted to ensuring that scientific investigations involving people are conducted in an ethical manner. Progress in medical and social sciences largely depends upon the willingness of people to serve as research participants. In many instances, however, scientific investigations involve people with significant cognitive impairment. For example, research concerning treatments for diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, or schizophrenia often includes people who are forgetful, inattentive, or unable to comprehend complex information. Because of these problems, people with these illnesses may struggle to understand or evaluate risks and benefits of research participation. Consequently, they may be unable to make an autonomous decision, and their rights may be violated. At the Center for Research Ethics, we are trying to determine whether certain clinical populations are at risk of making poor decisions concerning research participation. In doing so, we hope to identify patient characteristics which contribute to compromised decision-making. We are also evaluating methods of improving patients' ability to make autonomous decisions regarding research participation. Thank you for visiting our website. Please take a look at the findings of some of our past studies. We are actively recruiting participants in our ongoing projects, and you are invited to find out more. If you are interested in learning more or having Dr. Basso consult with your group, feel free to contact us.