Elizabeth Heitman

Elizabeth Heitman, Ph.D., is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at UT Southwestern Medical Center, with expertise in medical ethics, biomedical ethics, and public health ethics. She holds secondary appointments in the Department of Applied Clinical Research and the O’Donnell School of Public Health. Her primary focus is on international research ethics standards, responsible conduct of research (RCR), and ethics education. Dr. Heitman teaches RCR and research ethics at the Center for Translational Medicine and Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, and leads ethics education grants funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the Fogarty International Center.

She has been a National Associate of the U.S. National Research Council and has led multiple National Academy of Sciences programs in research integrity education across the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia. Her work includes advising on gene drive technology ethics, healthcare disparities, and global health equity. Dr. Heitman’s career spans roles at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, the University of Texas School of Public Health, and as a clinical ethicist in Houston-area hospitals.

Her research emphasizes cross-cultural ethics, ethical challenges in global health, and institutional ethics governance. Recent publications address gene drive technology governance, RCR education models, and ethical issues in HIV care in low-income countries. She has pioneered frameworks for community-engaged research ethics and CV verification in academic settings.