Lisa Campo-Engelstein

Lisa Campo-Engelstein is Professor and Inaugural Chair of the Department of Bioethics & Health Humanities at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB), where she also directs the Institute for Bioethics & Health Humanities and holds the Harris L. Kempner Chair in the Humanities in Medicine. Her work bridges philosophy, medicine, and feminist theory to address critical issues in reproductive ethics and LGBTQ+ healthcare through an interdisciplinary lens.

Education:

• Graduate Certificate in Clinical Ethics Consultation, Albany Medical College (2013)
• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Northwestern University (2009-2011)
• PhD in Philosophy, Michigan State University (2009)
• MA in Philosophy, Michigan State University (2005)
• BA in Philosophy, Middlebury College (2001)

Research Focus: As a leading feminist bioethicist, Dr. Campo-Engelstein specializes in reproductive ethics with emphases on assisted reproductive technologies, abortion access, fertility preservation, male contraception, and queer reproduction. Her scholarship critically examines power structures in healthcare through intersectional frameworks, challenging traditional norms while advocating for reproductive justice and marginalized communities. Recent work increasingly addresses gender-affirming care ethics and systemic biases in medical systems.

Publication Trends: Her 2023-2025 publications reveal a sharpened focus on emerging ethical frontiers including regulatory gaps in reproductive technologies, stigma reduction in psychedelic medicine, and epistemic injustice in pediatric gender care. These works consistently apply feminist theory to expose systemic inequities while proposing concrete policy interventions across journals like the American Journal of Bioethics and Hastings Center Report.

Scientific Recognition:

• BBC 100 Women of 2019: honored as "inspiring and influential" for advancing women's health research
• Harris L. Kempner Chair in the Humanities in Medicine: prestigious endowed professorship

Leadership & Service: Dr. Campo-Engelstein serves on the elected boards of the International Network on Feminist Approaches to Bioethics and American Society for Bioethics and Humanities, while advising the Male Contraception Initiative and Alliance for Fertility Preservation. She mentors graduate students in bioethics and health humanities, and contributes to editorial boards including the Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics.

Academic Infrastructure: As Director of UTMB's Institute for Bioethics & Health Humanities, she leads a multidisciplinary team integrating clinical ethics consultation, research innovation, and community engagement. The Institute collaborates extensively with the School of Public and Population Health to address ethical challenges in public health policy and clinical practice through education and organizational ethics initiatives.