The Declaration of Sydney Task Force was convened to develop the initial concept, ethical foundations, and first version of the Declaration of Sydney.
Task Force members and contributors provided intellectual, ethical, clinical, technical, and legal input during the Declaration's formative phase, including brainstorming, drafting, critique, and refinement of its principles and structure.
The individuals listed on this page are recognised for their substantive contributions to the development of the Declaration during its founding phase.
Participation in the Task Force:
reflects contribution to the creation and refinement of the Declaration including early conceptual discussions, ethical, legal, and societal analysis, drafting and revision of the Declaration text, governance and custodianship design, etc.
does not imply custodial authority, governance responsibility, or ongoing decision-making power
is distinct from membership in the Custodian Group
(Listed alphabetically by last name)
Prof. Antonio Di Ieva, MD PhD FRACS IFAANS
Professor of Neurosurgery, A/Prof. of Neuroanatomy
Computational NeuroSurgery (CNS) Lab
Macquarie Medical School
Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences
Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
Task Force and Custodians' Lead
Dr. Quinlan Buchlak, MD PhD MPsych
Director Medical Sciences, Medtronic
Adjunct Lecturer, School of Medicine, University of Notre Dame, Australia
Dr. Aimee C DeGaetano, PhD MPH RD
Department of Health Science and Medicine, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, United States.
Chief, Emerging Neuro Technology & Translational Research Ambulatory NeuroSurgery Center (ANSC)
Dr. Katrina Hutchison, PhD
Senior Lecturer, Department of Philosophy
Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
Dr. Rita Matulionyte, PhD
Associate Professor at Law School
Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
Dr. Allan McCay, PhD
Co-director of The Sydney Institute of Criminology
Academic Fellow at the University of Sydney Law School
Global President of the Centre for Neurotechnology and Law
Prof. Wendy Rogers, PhD
Distinguished Professor,
Discipline of Philosophy, School of Humanities,
Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
Prof. Jeffrey V Rosenfeld, AC OBE
Senior Neurosurgeon, Department of Neurosurgery,
Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia
Emeritus Professor, Monash University,
Melbourne, Australia
Prof. Margaret A. Somerville AM, DSG, FRSC, FRSN, DCL
Professor of Bioethics, University of Notre Dame Australia
Emeritus Samuel Gale Professor of Law, Emeritus Professor Faculty of Medicine,
Emeritus Founding Director Centre for Medicine, Ethics and Law, McGill University, Montreal
Prof. Dr. med. Eric Suero Molina, MBA, FEBNS
Professor of Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Münster, Münster, Germany
Honorary Senior Lecturer, Macquarie Medical School, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
Dr. Amin Tavallaii, MD MSc
Computational Neurosurgery Fellow,
Computational NeuroSurgery (CNS) Lab,
Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery
Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
While the Task Force fulfilled a foundational role, the Declaration of Sydney is intended as a living ethical commitment that continues to evolve through reflection, stewardship, and engagement with the broader community.
Future contributions may occur through:
public commentary and feedback
scholarly discussion and critique
endorsement and pledge by individuals and institutions
The Declaration of Sydney is committed to transparency, fairness, and acknowledgment of contribution. Recognition on this page reflects gratitude for intellectual engagement and does not confer endorsement, representation, or governance authority.
© 2026 Declaration of Sydney. All rights reserved.
The Declaration of Sydney is a non-regulatory ethical reference. It does not replace clinical judgment, professional standards, or legal obligations. The Declaration serves to guide responsible innovation in neurosurgery.
