
Recent breakthroughs in life sciences—ranging from gene editing and AI in healthcare to brain-computer interfaces and behavioral design—are reshaping how we understand, treat, and enhance human life. These transformations raise complex ethical questions that extend beyond the laboratory and clinic, calling for fresh perspectives from philosophy, policy, science, and art.
This forum aims to bridge traditional and emerging ethical frameworks, drawing on Eastern and Western philosophical perspectives, and to foster interdisciplinary exchange among ethicists, scientists, legal scholars, designers, artists, and the public. Together, we will explore how ethics can keep pace with technological innovation in medicine and life sciences, and how cultural traditions can inform responsible and inclusive futures.
The event will be co-organized by Swissnex in China,the School of Philosophy at Fudan University, and the Institute of Technology Ethics for Human Future at Fudan University as a side event of the 2025 Pujiang Innovation Forum.
Program
13:15 – 13:30 Registration
13:30 – 13:45 Opening Remarks
- Prof. Guoyu Wang, Professor at the School of Philosophy, Fudan University, and Dean of the Institute of Technology Ethics for Human Future at Fudan University
- Dr. Raphaela Oliver, CEO of Swissnex in China, Consul
13:45 – 15:15 Keynote Speeches (6 × 15 minutes)
- Cong Pang, Department of Philosophy, Shanghai University | Informed consent in the precision medicine era: away from autonomy, towards trust?
- Sara Kijewski, Health Ethics & Policy Lab, ETH Zurich | AI in Precision Medicine: A Reflective Approach for Innovation and Public Trust
- Yu Yang, Institute of Technology Ethics for Human Future, Fudan University | Personal Identity Change in Brain-Computer Interface Clinical Practice:An Analysis from Interdisciplinary Perspective
- Michael Conrad, Swiss Center for Design and Health | Embedding Ethics into AI Research for Patient Safety
- Hanhui Xu, Institute of Technology Ethics for Human Future, Fudan University | Assessing the Performance of Large Language Models in Reproductive Ethics Based on Chinese Ethical Regulations
- Jonathan Andrew, Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights | Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups in Neurotechnologies: The Role of Patient Advocacy and International Cooperation
15:15 – 15:30 Coffee / Tea Break
15:30 – 16:15 Moderated Dialogue Session
Theme: Tradition Meets Innovation: Ethical Pathways for the Future of Life Sciences
Panelists:
- Václav Pechtor (AI & Data Engineering, ZHAW School of Management and Law)
- Dr.Yijie Wang (Institute of Technology Ethics for Human Future, Fudan University
- Dr. Guohui Ding (International Human Phenome Institutes,Fudan University)
- Vivian Xu (Assistant Professor of Media and Art, Duke Kunshan University)
- Dr. Alix Wasilenko (Medical Faculty of University of Zurich)
Moderator: Dr. Linfan Zhu, Institute of Technology Ethics for Human Future, Fudan University
16:15 – 16:30 Audience Q&A and Closing Remarks
Keynote Speakers
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Bio
Dr. Cong Pang
Assistant professor in the Department of Philosophy and a member of the Marxist Research Centre for Science, Technology, and Society (STS) at Shanghai UniversityDr. Cong Pang is an assistant professor in the Department of Philosophy and a member of the Marxist Research Centre for Science, Technology, and Society (STS) at Shanghai University. The courses she teaches include Applied Ethics, Philosophical Methods, Introduction to Dialectics of Nature, Basic Principles of Marxism, among others. Her research focuses on precision medicine ethics, informed consent, and theories of autonomy. She earned a PhD in Philosophy from Fudan University. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the West China School of Public Health at Sichuan University and a Master of Medicine degree from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Bio
Dr. Sara Kijewski
Director of Operations of the ETH AI Ethics and Policy Network, Researcher at the Health Ethics and Policy Lab, ETH ZurichDr. Sara Kijewski serves as Director of Operations of the ETH AI Ethics and Policy Network and is a researcher in the Health Ethics and Policy Lab at ETH Zurich. Her research focuses on AI governance, responsible innovation, and digital health, with particular expertise in practical tools for AI governance and the ethical dimensions of artificial intelligence in healthcare settings. Her academic background includes a PhD in Political Science from the University of Bern, providing her with a strong foundation in policy analysis and ethical frameworks.
Dr. Kijewski’s research portfolio spans AI governance frameworks, decentralized clinical trials, and the broad spectrum of ethical considerations in medical AI applications—from personalized medicine to clinical decision-making systems. Her work examines the intersection of technological innovation and ethical responsibility in healthcare AI development. Through her roles in operations and research, she contributes to advancing the responsible development and deployment of AI technologies across both healthcare and broader societal applications.
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Bio
Dr. Yu Yang
Research Fellow at the Institute for Technology Ethics and Human Future, Fudan University.Dr. Yu Yang is a Research Fellow at the Institute for Technology Ethics and Human Future, Fudan University. Her research focuses on the philosophy of cognitive science and technology ethics, with particular emphasis on the ethical challenges posed by brain-computer interface (BCI) technologies. Recently, her work has centered on issues of self-identity crisis and related ethical concerns arising from BCI applications. She received her PhD in Philosophy from Beijing Normal University, and has been awarded the“Super Postdoc Incentive Program”at Fudan University and the Shanghai “Super Postdoc” Incentive Program.
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Bio
Michael Conrad
AI Solutions Architect, Machine Learning Engineer, Swiss Center for Design and Health (SCDH)Michael Conrad is a data scientist. At the SCDH, he is responsible for the visionary further development of the Living Lab’s digital capabilities – including motion capture and sensor technology capabilities. He brings extensive experience in designing and delivering deep learning solutions across diverse domains. Having worked in both technical and leadership roles, He has developed a unique ability to bridge the gap between what’s technically feasible and what drives real business value. His approach is simple: listen first, build trust, and deliver solutions that actually work.
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Bio
Hanhui Xu
Associate Professor at Institute of Technology Ethics for Human Future, Fudan UniversityHanhui Xu, Associate Professor at Institute of Technology Ethics for Human Future, Fudan University. His research interests include clinical ethics, nursing ethics, and AI ethics in healthcare. His current projects focus on ethical issues surrounding smart devices in elderly care, medical ethics evaluation of large language models (LLMs), jailbreak testing of LLMs on medical ethics topics, and the ethical boundaries of LLM empathy.
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Bio
Dr. Jonathan Andrew
Research Fellow, Geneva AcademyDr. Jonathan Andrew is a human rights and data protection law expert with a diverse background (international public law, development economics, business management, IT/data security, bioethics) that provides a unique insight into complex legal questions and facilitating multifaceted analysis of issues demanding an interdisciplinary approach. As a Research Fellow based at the Geneva Academy in Switzerland, Dr. Andrew works on the implications of neurotechnologies developments for human rights and collaborates closely with the UN Human Rights Council and its Advisory Committee on resolutions and reports to guide the deliberations between the UN Member States. He is currently a Visiting International Fellow at the Pufendorf Institute and the Medical Ethics department at Lund University, Sweden. As Ethics Mentor for the COMBAT Dengue EU Horizon medical research project, he collaborates with the clinical team at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. Dr. Andrew also sits on two ethics advisory boards for the EU Commission monitoring privacy, data protection and fundamental rights concerns regarding developments and the implementation of emerging technologies for European research projects.
Dr. Andrew has extensive experience working with the Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) and has assisted six mandates/Special Rapporteurs as a Senior Adviser. He is currently a Consultant advising the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms while Countering Terrorism on the implications of artificial intelligence (AI) for counter-terrorism operations. He has authored and contributed toward publications for UN agencies including OHCHR, IOM, UNCTAD, UNICEF, and with NGOs such as ICNL, and the EU Commission/European Parliament on a wide range of international law and human rights issues.
Panel Discussion
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Moderator
Linfan Zhu
Assistant Professor, Fudan UniversityLinfan Zhu, Ph.D. in Philosophy, is currently an Assistant Professor at Fudan University. He received his doctorate from the Department of Philosophy at Peking University. His research interests include AI ethics, ethics and experimental studies, philosophy of cognitive science and psychology, as well as social epistemology in relation to science and law. He previously studied philosophy at Shanxi University (B.A.) and the University of Copenhagen (M.A.), and has also been a visiting scholar at York University (Canada) and the University of Stirling (UK).
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Panelist
Václav Pechtor
Researcher AI & Data Engineering, ZHAW School of Management and Law ZurichVáclav Pechtor,Researcher AI & Data Engineering at ZHAW School of Management and Law Zürich. He is a PhD Candidate and Researcher specializing in the application and impact evaluation of Artificial Intelligence (including Large Language Models and intelligent agent systems) within public administration and public health. His work leverages expertise in causal inference methodologies for robust policy and program evaluation. With a strong background in leading technology and data initiatives, he is passionate about bridging advanced AI research with real-world governance challenges and fostering international academic-industry collaborations.
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Panelist
Yijie Wang
Postdoc Research Fellow at the Institute of Technology Ethics for Human Future, Fudan UniversityYijie Wang is a postdoc research fellow at the Institute of Technology Ethics for Human Future, Fudan University. She holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from Goethe University Frankfurt. Her research focuses on applied ethics and political philosophy, with particular expertise in bioethics, medical ethics, health justice, and global justice. Her scholarly contributions have been published in leading academic journals, including Medicine, Health Care and Philosophy.
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Panelist
Dr. Ding Guohui
Executive Director of Institute for Digital Health at International Human Phenome InstitutesDr. Ding Guohui is the Executive Director of Institute for Digital Health at International Human Phenome Institutes (Shanghai). His research focuses on biomedical information, trusted sharing of biological data, and scientific wellness. He is currently primarily engaged in designing next-generation biomedical data infrastructure and contributing to the establishment of standards in the fields of biomedical data and biodigital convergence.
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Panelist
Vivian Xu
Artist and Researcher, Duke Kanshan UniversityVivian Xu is an interdisciplinary artist and researcher. Her work investigates issues at the intersection of biology, material ecology, technology, and cybernetics. Her creative practice is research-driven, process-based, and informed by practices between the arts and sciences that merge methods from the studio and the laboratory. Xu’s work has been exhibited and presented at various institutions in Asia, the United States, and Europe. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Media and Art at Duke Kunshan University in China. Along with Benjamin Bacon, she co-directs the Design, Technology, and Radical Media Lab (DTRM), and co-leads the Art, Media, and Cybernetics Working Group under the American Society of Cybernetics.
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Panelist
Alix Wasilenko
Researcher at the Medical Faculty of the University of Zurich and the Children's Hospital of Zurich; World Health Organization Collaboration Center for Ethics in ZurichAlix Wasilenko, MD MPH PhD(c) is a physician and researcher from Germany, having graduated from the Albert-Ludwigs-University Freiburg with her medical degree in 2022 and her doctoral degree in 2023. She is a recent graduate of Harvard University, with a master’s in public health and research methodology & quantitative methods, focused on biostatistics, bioinformatics and applied mathematics in the biomedical sciences. Her past research lies in the realm of fundamental and computational neuro-oncology, with prior research at the Neurocenter of the University of Freiburg, Harvard University as well as at Harvard affiliate medical institutions. She is currently working as a researcher at the Medical Faculty of the University of Zurich and the Children’s Hospital of Zurich, where she focuses on novel treatment options for rare diseases, specifically challenges in clinical translation of novel gene therapies and their implications for responsible development and therapeutic roll-out. She additionally works at the World Health Organization Collaboration Center for Ethics in Zurich, on projects with a public and global health focus, and lectures at the medical faculties of the ETH and University of Zurich.