Skip to main content
Back to King's College London homepage
Gabrielle Samuel

Dr Gabrielle Samuel

Lecturer in Environmental Justice and Health

  • Co-Director of SHADE

Research interests

  • Biomedical and life sciences
  • Environment
  • Ethics

Biography

Dr Gabrielle (Gabby) Samuel is a Lecturer in the Department of Global Health & Social Medicine and co-Director of SHADE - a research group and network at the intersection of Sustainability, Health, AI, Digital technologies, and the Environment. Her main research interests relate to the social/ethical issues associated with digital health, big data, and AI.

She is trained in sociology and ethics (Medical sociology PhD and Bioethics MA) with a background in the life sciences (Molecular Genetics PhD). She draws mainly on qualitative research methods and has published extensively in the field of biobanking, genomics, digital health, forensic/health genetic technologies, research ethics, and research ethics committees, and social media and AI/big data research.

Gabby is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics and Humanities & Social Sciences Communications. She supervises both undergraduate and master's dissertations and welcomes PhD students. She is also a member of the Digital Environmental Sustainability Ethics and Clinical Ethics and Law in Society research groups at Oxford University – and the King’s Climate Action Network.

Research

  • Sustainability and environmental justice
  • Genomics and biobanking
  • Digital health, health apps, AI and big data
  • Responsibilities, decision-making and value trade-offs
  • Research ethics and research ethics committees
  • Ethics and sociology
  • Qualitative research

Gabby is particularly interested in the environmental impacts of these technologies and her research programme explores ethical and governance issues related to this. She has argued that the moral gaze of technologies should include not only their use, but also where they have come from and where they are disposed.

She draws on concepts of sustainability, justice, power, equity, responsibility and neo-liberalism to do this. She is particularly interested in decision-making and how values-trade-offs are balanced, and how this relates to moral obligation, responsibility, justice and critical justice scholarship.

Outside of environmental sustainability, her research focuses on the ethical and sociological aspects of innovative, digital health, and genomics technologies and methodologies.

Here she explores responsible research and innovation through concepts of participation and reflection. She is particularly interested in notions of trust/trustworthiness, and the importance of behaviour change models to be considered in wider sociological and ethical literature.

Gabby's research is funded by a range of grants, including a Wellcome Fellowship, which is exploring the environmental sustainability of data-driven health research.

She is also a co-Investigator on a ESPRC collaborative project PARIS-DE (Design Principles and Responsible Innovation for a Sustainable Digital Economy), led by Professor Gordon Blair at Lancaster, and holds two MRC grants exploring the intersection of health and environmental impacts, in the context of neuroimaging and biobanking.

PhD supervision

Gabby is happy to supervise projects in areas associated with big data, genomics, AI, sustainability, ethics or similar

Research projects and awards

  • 2023-2024. £48,529.80 Samuel G, Lucivero, F. Exploring digital health promises and practices through a sustainability lens. Implementing sustainability in decision-making. King’s Climate and Sustainability Seed Fund
  • 2021-2024. £883,623 Blair G (PI), Jirotka M, Knowles B, Lucivero F, Samuel G (CI), Sorrell S, Widdicks K, Webb H. Design Principles and Responsible Innovation for a Sustainable Digital Economy (Paris-DE). ESPRC
  • 2021-2027. £246,365 Samuel, G. The environmental sustainability of data-driven health research: a case-study of genomics and digital phenotyping in the UK. Wellcome Research Fellowship
  • 2023. £7,200 Global Engagement Partnership Fund, KCL, to cement collaborations with Indian and African colleagues in the area of environmental sustainability.
  • 2022-2023. Partner. UKRI Net-Zero Digital Research Infrastructure Scoping.
  • 2022-2023. £100,792 Samuel G. Farley, M. Developing a roadmap for environmentally sustainable ultra-low temperature storage in biobanking. MRC
  • 2022-2024. £125,164 Rae, C. Selvan, R, Samuel G. Developing environmentally sustainable best practices for human brain imaging. MRC

Policy impact

  • Co-editor of ITU (International Telecommunications Union) AI4EE (Requirements of AI and other Emerging Technologies to Ensure Environmental Efficiency) working group technical report: Driving AI-IoT towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 2022
  • Contribution to Parliamentary Office for Science and Technology (POST) note on environmental impacts of the digital sector. Expert stakeholder contribution, and referenced within report (report can be found here: https://post.parliament.uk/research-briefings/post-pn-0677/). 2022.

Media and public engagement

Further details

See Gabby's research profile

Research

scientist-lab-technician-with-glass-slide-with-microscope-brain-bank-v10-thumb
Biotechnology & Society research group

Addressing the social, ethical and legal questions arising from developments in health and biomedicine using a multidisciplinary research approach.

mental health app_promo
Mental Health & Society research group

Seeking to better understand the socio-political dimensions of mental health and illness in the Global North and South.

climate change hero
King's Climate Research Hub

Studying climate change through the relationship between science, policy and culture.

Reproduction research cluster logo
Reproduction Research Group

Our interdisciplinary group examines the complex social, cultural, and political dimensions of reproduction.

Electric Globe thumbnail
SHADE Research Hub

SHADE sits at the intersection of Sustainability, Health, AI, Digital technologies and the Environment. SHADE is guided by a fundamental question: How should the balance between AI/digital enabled health and planetary health be struck in different areas of the world, and what should be the guiding principles? To address this SHADE promotes interdisciplinary enquiry to understand and make visible sustainable practices situated in specific geographical and societal contexts. Undertaking both normative and solutions based research, SHADE draws on empirical, epistemic and ethical perspectives from philosophy, law, sociology and ethics, as well as from more quantitative approaches such as life cycle sustainability assessment.

Solar panel at sunset thumbnail
Climate & sustainability researchers at King’s

King's researchers working across climate and sustainability

Nutrition, ageing and the gut microbiome_hero image
Safe and sustainable diets for a healthy body and mind (SSuDs)

This Research Interest Group on Safe and Sustainable Diets for a Healthy Body And Mind provides a unique opportunity for the King’s research community to address the challenges of safe and sustainable diets across a range of health outcomes

1908x558_hand-globe
Environmentally Sustainable HeAlth REsearch (SHARE): from ‘tool solutionism’ to a context sensitive, just, systems-focused and reflexive approach

Project investigating wider meanings of environment, sustainability and climate-related discourses in different contexts and countries within health research.

Project status: Starting

News

Is Healthcare's Green Push Missing the Bigger Picture? New Study Says Yes

Researchers warn a narrow focus on carbon emissions may obscure deeper environmental and social harms

ChatGPT Image Jul 2, 2025, 11_03_03 AM

Public Voices Reveal Complexities in Selling Health and Environment Win-Wins

Study questions simplicity of policymakers’ ‘co-benefits’ approach

freepik__an-illustration-showing-a-focus-group-session-with__57514

King's academics look into crystal ball in new future gazing sci-fi anthology

Researchers in AI from across three different faculties provided expert reflections on energy, healthcare and education in the near future

All Tomorrows Futures gradient bg 780x440

New research hub launched to explore the intersection of digital technologies, health and the environment

The SHADE research hub has been launched by the School of Global Affairs in partnership with the Ethox Centre in the Nuffield Department of Population Health,...

SHADE hub

Science Gallery London announces 'Friday Lates' as part of autumn AI programme

Dive further into the world of AI with performances, special events, a new exhibit and two opportunities for 'after hours' access

Elsewhere-2

Project to explore the environmental sustainability of AI-enabled digital health

A new research project led by Dr Gabrielle Samuel, Lecturer in Environmental Justice and Health at King’s, will examine the sustainability of digital...

Data AI feature image

Events

02Jul

All Tomorrow's Futures: scientists meet sci-fi writers to invent possible futures

Immerse yourself in this unique fusion of insights, which will spark discussions about the implications for our future human experience.

Please note: this event has passed.

06Dec

'The World Made Me': Candid conversations with researchers

Join us for the launch of 'The World Made Me', a new video series from the School of Global Affairs exploring the things that inspired our academics in their...

Please note: this event has passed.

Features

...Switch from Genetics to Sociology

Dr Gabrielle Samuel shares her journey of switching her research career from Genetics to Sociology.

The World Made Me global affairs

'Places without postcards' highlights impact of climate change around the world

The Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy has created a collection of ‘postcards’ from key places around the globe that tell an important story around...

places without postcards banner montage incl text 1903 558

Health and our environment: is collecting data through new technologies actually helping us?

The collection and analysis of health data brings benefits but at what cost to the environment and others’ health?

RADAR-CNS smartphone wearables

Should we consider the environmental and social impacts of the health data we collect?

As part of her outreach activities, Dr Gabrielle Samuel explored the impact of data-driven health research at the Southampton Science Festival.

Data AI feature image

Research

scientist-lab-technician-with-glass-slide-with-microscope-brain-bank-v10-thumb
Biotechnology & Society research group

Addressing the social, ethical and legal questions arising from developments in health and biomedicine using a multidisciplinary research approach.

mental health app_promo
Mental Health & Society research group

Seeking to better understand the socio-political dimensions of mental health and illness in the Global North and South.

climate change hero
King's Climate Research Hub

Studying climate change through the relationship between science, policy and culture.

Reproduction research cluster logo
Reproduction Research Group

Our interdisciplinary group examines the complex social, cultural, and political dimensions of reproduction.

Electric Globe thumbnail
SHADE Research Hub

SHADE sits at the intersection of Sustainability, Health, AI, Digital technologies and the Environment. SHADE is guided by a fundamental question: How should the balance between AI/digital enabled health and planetary health be struck in different areas of the world, and what should be the guiding principles? To address this SHADE promotes interdisciplinary enquiry to understand and make visible sustainable practices situated in specific geographical and societal contexts. Undertaking both normative and solutions based research, SHADE draws on empirical, epistemic and ethical perspectives from philosophy, law, sociology and ethics, as well as from more quantitative approaches such as life cycle sustainability assessment.

Solar panel at sunset thumbnail
Climate & sustainability researchers at King’s

King's researchers working across climate and sustainability

Nutrition, ageing and the gut microbiome_hero image
Safe and sustainable diets for a healthy body and mind (SSuDs)

This Research Interest Group on Safe and Sustainable Diets for a Healthy Body And Mind provides a unique opportunity for the King’s research community to address the challenges of safe and sustainable diets across a range of health outcomes

1908x558_hand-globe
Environmentally Sustainable HeAlth REsearch (SHARE): from ‘tool solutionism’ to a context sensitive, just, systems-focused and reflexive approach

Project investigating wider meanings of environment, sustainability and climate-related discourses in different contexts and countries within health research.

Project status: Starting

News

Is Healthcare's Green Push Missing the Bigger Picture? New Study Says Yes

Researchers warn a narrow focus on carbon emissions may obscure deeper environmental and social harms

ChatGPT Image Jul 2, 2025, 11_03_03 AM

Public Voices Reveal Complexities in Selling Health and Environment Win-Wins

Study questions simplicity of policymakers’ ‘co-benefits’ approach

freepik__an-illustration-showing-a-focus-group-session-with__57514

King's academics look into crystal ball in new future gazing sci-fi anthology

Researchers in AI from across three different faculties provided expert reflections on energy, healthcare and education in the near future

All Tomorrows Futures gradient bg 780x440

New research hub launched to explore the intersection of digital technologies, health and the environment

The SHADE research hub has been launched by the School of Global Affairs in partnership with the Ethox Centre in the Nuffield Department of Population Health,...

SHADE hub

Science Gallery London announces 'Friday Lates' as part of autumn AI programme

Dive further into the world of AI with performances, special events, a new exhibit and two opportunities for 'after hours' access

Elsewhere-2

Project to explore the environmental sustainability of AI-enabled digital health

A new research project led by Dr Gabrielle Samuel, Lecturer in Environmental Justice and Health at King’s, will examine the sustainability of digital...

Data AI feature image

Events

02Jul

All Tomorrow's Futures: scientists meet sci-fi writers to invent possible futures

Immerse yourself in this unique fusion of insights, which will spark discussions about the implications for our future human experience.

Please note: this event has passed.

06Dec

'The World Made Me': Candid conversations with researchers

Join us for the launch of 'The World Made Me', a new video series from the School of Global Affairs exploring the things that inspired our academics in their...

Please note: this event has passed.

Features

...Switch from Genetics to Sociology

Dr Gabrielle Samuel shares her journey of switching her research career from Genetics to Sociology.

The World Made Me global affairs

'Places without postcards' highlights impact of climate change around the world

The Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy has created a collection of ‘postcards’ from key places around the globe that tell an important story around...

places without postcards banner montage incl text 1903 558

Health and our environment: is collecting data through new technologies actually helping us?

The collection and analysis of health data brings benefits but at what cost to the environment and others’ health?

RADAR-CNS smartphone wearables

Should we consider the environmental and social impacts of the health data we collect?

As part of her outreach activities, Dr Gabrielle Samuel explored the impact of data-driven health research at the Southampton Science Festival.

Data AI feature image