Marieke van Summeren

Marieke van Summeren serves as an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at Utrecht University, specializing in applied ethics within pediatric care. Her work bridges clinical practice and ethical analysis, focusing on real-world dilemmas in genomic sequencing and childhood obesity interventions.

Her research centers on empirical ethical investigations into pediatric genomic sequencing, particularly informed consent processes and unsolicited findings in whole exome sequencing (WES). She examines parental perspectives, moral acceptability of interventions like gastric banding for adolescent obesity, and develops tailored ethical frameworks through collaboration with Utrecht's Institute of Ethics. Current projects address how patients, parents, and practitioners navigate ethical challenges in precision medicine.

Analysis of her 2014-2024 publications reveals a dominant focus on bioethics in pediatric genomics, with recurring themes of autonomy, uncertainty management, and context-specific ethical guidelines. Earlier work explored vitamin K/D metabolism in childhood obesity, evolving into her current ethics specialization.

Dr. van Summeren leads zonMW-funded projects including ethical research on gastric banding in adolescent obesity and WES informed consent protocols. Her collaborative approach involves multidisciplinary teams across genetics, pediatrics, and philosophy, contributing to policy-relevant insights published in journals like BMC Medical Ethics and European Journal of Human Genetics.