Dr. Ozan Altan Altinok is a German–Turkish national, affiliated with the Institute of
Advanced Studies in Ethics of the Sciences at Leibniz University of Hannover, the Young
Academy for Cultures of Research at the University of Freiburg, and the African Centre for
Epistemology and Philosophy of Science at the University of Johannesburg. He speaks Turkish,
English, and German.
He received his B.Sc. in Molecular Biology and Genetics from Middle East Technical
University, Ankara (2012), his M.A. in Philosophy from the same institution (2016), and his
Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Münster, Germany (2021). Dr. Altinok has
extensive experience in teaching, research, and interdisciplinary collaboration across
philosophy, the life sciences, and bioethics. He has worked on projects addressing philosophy
of medicine, responsible science and governance, regenerative biology, and conceptual justice
in health research. He has also held visiting fellowships at Boston University, the Brocher
Foundation in Geneva, the University of Bielefeld, and the University of Tartu.
His research interests include philosophy of science, bioethics, science and technology studies
(STS), philosophy of language, and conceptual engineering. He has published in peer-reviewed
journals and edited volumes on evolutionary medicine, organoid research governance, digital
lay participation in health research, and the ethics of scientific knowledge production. He
publishes in English, Turkish, and German.
2017-2021 PhD in Philosophy, University of Münster, Germany. Thesis Topic; Disease, health and enhancement as thick concepts in the context of evolutionary medicine. Thesis Supervision Comittee: Prof. Dr. Dr. Hc. Michael Quante, Prof. Ulrich Krohs, Prof. MD. Bettina Schöne Siefert.
2012-2016 MA in Philosophy, with the thesis; “An Account of Reduction in Biology; Practices of Molecular Biology as Instruments”, Supervised by Prof. Ayhan Sol, Middle East Technical University Institute of Social Sciences Department of Philosophy, Ankara, Turkey
2013 – 2015 BA in Translation and Interpretation Studies in Atilim University, Faculty of Foreign Languages, Ankara, Turkey
2008-2012 BS Molecular Biology and Genetics Middle East Technical University Faculty of Arts of Sciences, Ankara, Turkey
2003-2007 Izmir High School of Science
Books
Conceptual and Ethical Challenges of Evolutionary Medicine [Book] Springer Hardcover ISBN 978-3-031-45765-4 Softcover ISBN 978-3-031-45768-5 eBook ISBN 978-3-031-45766-1 https://link.springer.com/book/9783031457654
“An Account of Reductionism in Biology [MA Thesis]; Practices of Molecular Biology as Instruments” M.A Thesis; Middle East Technical University Publishing House https://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/12620595/index.pdf
Peer Reviewed Papers
Post – governance Bioethics for Postcolonial Bioethics in Global Scientific Collaboration through repertoires and virtue ethics: The Case of Coccina Abyssinica research Forthcoming at Science and Technology Studies
Sakowsky, R., Hoppe, N., Altinok, O., Schweda, M. & Fink, S. (2024). Gelungene Partizipation durch Digitalisierung? Reflexion auf grundlegende Bewertungskriterien der digitalen Laienbeteiligung an Gesundheitsforschung und -politik. [Successful Participation? Reflection on Basic Evaluation Criteria of Lay Participation in Health Research and Policy] In C. Klingler, A. Pichl, S. Schicktanz (Eds.), Transcript. doi: https://doi.org/10.14361/9783837669268
Learning from disability studies to introduce the role of the individual to naturalistic accounts of disease. Medicine Health Care and Philosophy. (2024) https://doi.org/10.1007/s11019-024-10216-9
Low expectations within conservative wing of discourse coalition for innovation and technoscience: integrating vanguard visions to therapeutic consent. SN Social Sciences 4, 95 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43545-024-00897-7
“Ethical, Legal and Social Aspects of Human Cerebral Organoids and their Governance in Germany, the UK and the USA” Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology, 11, 1194706. With; Pichl, A., Ranisch, R., A., Antonakaki, M., Barnhart, A. J., Bassil, K., ... & Arnason. Volume 11 - 2023 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2023.1194706
“Of looping kinds and unruly objects: the conceptual making of organoids.” Molecular Psychology 2023, 2:7 DIO: (https://doi.org/10.12688/molpsychol.17527.1)
“Darwinize it Two Times: on the Possibilities of Extending Evolutionary Medicine through New Developments in Evolutionary Theory” Azimuth, Darwin’s Tangled Legacy 2022/1 ISBN: 9788855293365 DOI: 10.1400/289179
“Thick Concepts as Social Factors of Oppression on Moral Decisions and Injustice” Chinese Journal of Contemporary Values. 2022 (04) Page:116-128 https://philarchive.org/rec/ALTTCA-2
“Integrating evolutionary aspects into dual-use discussion: the cases of influenza virus and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli.” Evolution, Medicine, and Public Health, 9(1), 383-392. With; Gati, N. S., Kumar, S., Ferrando, V. A., Kurtz, J., Quante, M., ... & Mellmann, A. (2021))” https://doi.org/10.1093/emph/eoab034m
“Global epidemiology and evolutionary history of Staphylococcus aureus ST45.” Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 59(1), e02198-20. With: N. Effelsberg, M. Stegger, L. Peitzmann, G. Coombs, B. Pichon, A. Kearns, P. Randad, S. Bletz, F. Schaumburg, A. Mellmann) DOI: 10.1128/JCM.02198-20
“Mao’s Marxist Negation of Marxism” Asian Studies Issue 7/1 2019 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4312/as.2019.7.1.75-96
Editor Reviewed Book Chapters;
Bizim Cografyamizin Bilim Imgesi (The Image of Science of “Our” Geography) [Turkish] ISBN; 978-625-6775-48-0
Bir Evrimsel Tıp Felsefesine Doğru (Towards a Philosophy of Evolutionary Medicine) [Turkish] Doruk Publishing House Contemporary Philosophy of Science Series, 2025
Forthcoming Book Chapters;
Observing Animals non ideally, or is there a chance for a new sociobiology for diversity?; (in Metaethics, Springer, 2026)
Kendinde gerçeğin Ötesinde Gerçekçilik Tartışmaları; Bilimsel gerçekçiliğe güncel bilim ve felsefe ilişkileri içinden eleştirel, disiplinler arası bir yaklaşım. [Discussions on Realism Beyond Truth in Itself; A critical, interdisciplinary approach to scientific realism from within the context of current science and philosophy.] (Doruk Publishing House Contemporary Philosophy of Science Series, 2025)
Epistemik Adaletsizlik; Söyleyen, Kavram ve Adaletsiz Söylem Teorisi [Epistemic Injustice: Theory in Science, the Concept, and Unjust Discourse] (Doruk Publishing House Contemporary Philosophy of Science Series, 2025)
African Centre for Epistemology and Philosophy of Science, University of Johannesburg
Young Academy for Cultures and Societies Research, University of Freiburg
Applied Ethics Research Center, Middle East Technical University
Post-Doctoral Researcher in Philosophy of the Life Sciences at CELLS [Center for Ethics and Law in the Life Sciences] Leibniz University of Hannover. (January 2024 – January 2025)
Post-Doctoral Researcher in Philosophy of the Life Sciences at CELLS Leibniz University of Hannover within the chair of Responsible Science and Engineering on project; Cosmopolitanism and Science Governance (January 2023 – December 2023)
May 2021 – December 2022 Post-Doctoral Researcher in the Project REBIRTH (Regenerative Biology and Reconstructive Therapies) CELLS Leibniz University of Hannover.
May 2017 – November 2020; Research assistant in project in Research Training Group Evolutionary Processes in Adaptation and Disease, University of Münster
1. Philosophy of Evolutionary Medicine MA level, Leibniz University of Hannover (Spring 2024)
2. Epistemic Injustice in Life Sciences MA level, Leibniz University of Hannover (Spring 2022, Fall 2023, Fall 2024)
3. How to Build a Better Concept of Disease (Philosophy of Disease), MA level, Leibniz University of Hannover (Fall 2022, 2023, Spring 2024, Autumn 2024)
4. Conceptual Engineering, MA level, Leibniz University of Hannover (Fall 2022, 2023)
5. Philosophy of Science, BA level, University of Münster (Spring 2020)
6. Philosophy of Biotechnology, MA level, Nesin Mathematics Village Summer School (September 2025)
Dr. Altinok is committed to advancing critical, interdisciplinary approaches to science and
ethics, and to fostering responsible practices of knowledge production and governance in
contemporary societies. He seeks to bring his expertise in responsible science and innovation,
philosophy of science, and STS to PMU. He is particularly keen on equipping students of
engineering and the life sciences with skills of social contextualization, while strengthening the
social sciences training of students in philosophy and related disciplines. He views this as a key
element in integrating non-Western and Global South perspectives into the global discourse on
science and technology.
