Ryan Antiel, MD, MSME, associate professor of surgery in the Division of Pediatric Surgery, has been appointed as the next director of the Trent Center for Bioethics, Humanities & History of Medicine.
Dr. Antiel is a nationally recognized scholar whose work spans pediatric medical ethics and medical humanities. He currently directs the Trent Center Clinical Ethics Fellowship and has led the development of innovative educational programs aligned with the Center’s mission, complemented by a robust portfolio of research and national engagement in bioethics. He is particularly focused on supporting children and families facing complex medical decisions, bringing together empirical research and ethical analysis to address some of medicine’s most challenging questions. This is an approach that reflects the interdisciplinary strengths at the core of the Trent Center.
The Trent Center is grounded in the principle that outstanding medical care and research requires scientific excellence and a deep understanding of ethics, history, and the humanities. By bringing together faculty, learners, and scholars across disciplines, the Trent Center fosters education, research, and dialogue that help clinicians and scientists better understand the social, cultural, and moral contexts that shape medicine, while advancing collaboration and engagement across Duke and the broader community. Under new leadership, the Trent Center is well positioned to build on this strong foundation and further elevate its contributions across education, scholarship, and public engagement.