Suzanne Ost

Professor Suzanne Ost is a Professor of Law at Lancaster University's Law School within the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Her research focuses on medical law and bioethics, particularly assisted dying, breaches of sexual boundaries in healthcare, and legal responses to child exploitation. She has held leadership roles including Director of Research Enhancement for the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Previously, she served as Senior Lecturer at Lancaster (2007–2012) and held academic positions at the Universities of Manchester and Central Lancashire.

Her work bridges law and bioethics, addressing topics like unknowing victims of crime, child abusive images, and the ethical implications of doctor-patient relationships. Key projects include a British Academy-funded study on unknowing victims of child abusive images and analysis of exploitation in healthcare. She has published extensively, including her 2021 monograph Exploitation, Ethics and Law.

Prof Ost has secured research grants from the AHRC, British Academy, and Socio-Legal Studies Association. She supervises PhD students in medical law, bioethics, and child exploitation issues. External roles include membership of the Law sub-panel for REF2021, AHRC Peer Review College, and advising Jersey’s Citizens’ Jury on Assisted Dying (2021).

Her expertise spans legal reviews, serving as former Editor-in-Chief of Medical Law Review (2011–2020) and peer reviewer for journals like Modern Law Review and Journal of Medical Ethics. She has also acted as an external examiner at multiple universities.