Carole A. Federico

Ethics and Public Policy Center, Innovative Research (United States)

Papers

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About

Carole A. Federico is a pioneering voice in the emerging field of bioethics for invertebrate and biohybrid systems. Her research centers on the ethical frameworks governing the modification and robotic control of living organisms, with a specific focus on species traditionally excluded from animal welfare debates. Federico’s major contribution lies in challenging the historical neglect of invertebrate research ethics, using the biohybrid robotic jellyfish—specifically *Aurelia aurita*—as a compelling case study. Her most-cited work, “Ethics of Biohybrid Robotic Jellyfish Modification and Invertebrate Research” (2020, 11 citations), provides foundational recommendations for ethical oversight in this interdisciplinary space. She further refined these arguments in her 2025 follow-up paper (5 citations), solidifying her role as a key thinker at the intersection of robotics, biology, and moral philosophy. By bringing attention to the ethical implications of merging living tissues with machines, Federico is shaping responsible innovation in biohybrid technology—a field with profound implications for environmental monitoring, medicine, and our moral relationship with non-sentient life.