Lauren L. Baker, PhD, is an Instructor of Medicine at the Bioethics Research Center in the Division of General Medical Sciences in the Department of Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine. She received her Master’s and PhD in Health Care Ethics from Saint Louis University, where she focused on pediatric ethics, philosophy of medicine, and narrative ethics.

Dr. Baker applies social science research methods to explore complex ethical and social issues in medicine and public health. Currently, she is a Co-Investigator for the Healthcare, Values, and the Spiritual Life Program where she collaborates on research exploring the impact of religion and faith on attitudes towards controversial topics in health care, such as prenatal genetic testing and the use of mRNA vaccines. She additionally serves as editorial assistant for Narrative Inquiry in Bioethics: A Journal of Qualitative Research, published by Johns Hopkins University Press. Her work has appeared in publications such as The American Journal of Bioethics, Theoretical Medicine & Bioethics, the Journal of Moral Theology, and the Journal of Comparative Effectiveness Research. Prior to joining Washington University, Dr. Baker taught health care ethics and public health ethics courses at Saint Louis University.

NHGRI R01HG012830 DuBois (PI) 09/22/2022-06/30/2025
Religion and support for genomic healthcare: An exploratory study of the US public and faith leaders
Religion and support for genomic healthcare: An exploratory study of the US public and faith leaders.
This project seeks to better understand why higher levels of religious practice are related to greater concerns with genetic medicine.
Role: Co-Investigator