Cinnamon Bloss

Cinnamon Bloss is a tenured Professor in Public Health, Psychiatry, and Medicine at the University of California San Diego (UCSD), serving as Founding Director of the Center for Empathy and Technology and Associate Director of the Institute for Empathy and Compassion. She holds leadership roles as Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and previously served as a licensed clinical psychologist. Her research focuses on the societal and ethical implications of emerging technologies, including genomic sequencing, gene drives, and digital health tools.

Dr. Bloss leads interdisciplinary projects funded by NIH, DARPA, and philanthropic organizations. Notable contributions include developing frameworks for stakeholder engagement in gene drive research and creating measures of empathy in healthcare. She chairs the NIH Novel and Exceptional Technology and Research Advisory Committee, advising on ethical and safety aspects of biotechnologies. Her work bridges science policy, public health, and empathy-driven clinical practices.

Research areas span precision medicine, technology adoption, and health equity, with over 100 publications. Awards include the Carmel Prize for Research Excellence and the 2022 American Society of Human Genetics Mentorship Award. She pioneered a Technology and Precision Health concentration in UCSD’s MPH program and has mentored over 50 trainees.

Key projects include studies on genomic utility perception, privacy in health data, and community engagement in biotechnology. She actively addresses ethical challenges in genomic medicine, digital surveillance, and global health interventions, advocating for compassionate and equitable science.