Collaborative Bioethics in Action: A Guide for Successful Collaborative Workshops

Drawing from our contributions as research assistants on the Brainstorm Organoid Project, we share our observations and insights, including practical tools and tips to a design and facilitate workshop-oriented projects. This discussion includes how to operate in this space, plan for meetings, format discussions, and leverage the benefits of this unique collaborative workshop format. We discuss why this type of engagement can have a lasting impact by fostering an environment for increased trust and understanding in a way that other more traditional workshops and committees may not. Our experience highlights several breakthrough moments where scientists and bioethicists explored novel ideas, including anticipating further research directions when conversation was freed from physical, financial, practical, material, and ethical boundaries. Our goal is to provide guidelines and recommendations that will assist with reproducibility of these outcomes with a focus on aspects that have the power to enhance the collaborative workshop experience.