Christopher Lean is a Research Fellow within the Department of Philosophy at Macquarie University, working with the ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology. His primary research areas are philosophy of the life sciences (biology, ecology, medicine) and ethics (bioethics, environment, technology).

He has researched issues ranging from the ontology of ecology and biodiversity, the laws of nature, biological function, de-extinction, the use of genetic genealogies in law, animal welfare and conservation, the Gaia hypothesis and community causation, and philosophy of medicine.

Recently, he has addressed issues related to the role of biotechnology in conservation science. His research has been featured in the New York Times, awarded the Australian Association of Philosophy Media Prize, and helped create a biotechnology start-up. In 2025, he was awarded the AAP Alan Saunders Lecture.