Christina Holmes
Elizabeth Toller
Robert Nuttall

Vural Ozdemir

Shawn Harmon

 

 

Projects            Publications

Christina Holmes (cpholmes at dal.ca) did her PhD with the TRRU group on how genetically modified plants (a.k.a. GMOs) are seen by the scientists who create them; how the design of and work on GMOs differs, depending on the goals and funding of the researchers; and the connections that genetic engineering research has to globalization. She used multisited ethnography in fieldsites in Canada and in Colombia, South America. This research was supported by an International Development Research Council, Canadian Window on Development Award, as well as a Canadian Institute of Health Research, Institute of Genetics, Short Term Research Grant, and a Social Science and Humanities Doctoral Fellowship. She expanded her research on genetic modification as a TRRU group post-doctoral fellow and as an Assistant Professor in the Sociology and Social Anthropology Department (August, 2008-May, 2009) is currently examining research and regulatory developments relating to molecular (ph)farming, or the reation of biomolecules for pharmaceutical and other uses through plants. Her general interests include the anthropology of science, medical anthropology, science studies, and biotechnology, with particular interest in topics relating to agriculture and food.

 

 

 

 

Elizabeth Toller (etoller at dal.ca) completed a combined honours degree in social anthropology and international development studies at Dalhousie University (2006) and a Master’s at Dalhousie in Social Anthropology (2008). Her work centers on the reframing of regulation as competitive advantage in the commercialization of food and drug products. She uses anthropology and science studies to explore industry preparations for and responses to new regulatory interventions at Health Canada: for example, the  implementation of the Natural Health Product Regulations in 2004. Elizabeth’s general interests include the anthropology of science and technology, intellectual property law, and commercial advertising for functional foods, nutraceuticals, and natural health products (NHP). Her work on science and policy perspectives for the regulation of functional foods, nutraceuticals and NHPs contributes to Dr. Graham’s Canadian Institute of Health Research funded project ‘Risks and regulation of novel therapeutics.’ She has also worked in various directorates at Health Canada, including the Bureau of Food Policy Integration and the Bureau of Chemical Safety. Liz is currently working with Health Canada’s Policy, Planning and International Affairs Directorate.

 

 

Projects                Publications

 

 

Robert Nuttall (r.nuttall at dal.ca) is a scientist with over 10 years of experience working in biomedical research laboratories. For his PhD (Physiology, University of Western Ontario, 2000) he studied placenta function in relation to infertility, while for his post-doctoral training (University of East Anglia, Norwich UK; Dalhousie University, Halifax) he examined tissue loss associated with various cancers and neurodegenerative diseases. Rob’s belief that scientists have an obligation to ensure that research is done soundly, that regulation of medical therapies is done fairly, and that information is conveyed to the public accurately led him to pursue collaboration with the group at TRRU.

 

 

 

  

 

 

   

Vural Ozdemir is Assistant Professor of Research in Social and Preventive Medicine, and independent investigator at the University of Montreal.  

 

To read more about Dr. Ozdemir, his work and interests, we invite you to visit his personal web-page.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

ESRC Genomics Network

Shawn Harmon is a PhD student at the University of Edinburgh (Law) and a Research Fellow at both ESRC Innogen and AHRC SCRIPT, and he is Editor-in-Chief of SCRIPTed - A Journal of Law, Technology & Society. Additionally, Shawn is the Principle Investigator on an ESRC-funded project entitled "Governing Emerging Technologies: Social Values in Stem Cell Regulation in Argentina" (Award No. RES-000-22-2678). Shawn's research interests revolve around ethico-legal and intellectual property issues in medical practice, medical research and biotechnology innovation. More specifically, his interests include the process of rule-making in the bioscience/biotech field, the content and trajectories of regulatory instruments, both domestic and international, and the translation of moral/social values into legal rules in the bioscience/biotech fields. Shawn favours an internationalist and cross-jurisdictional comparative approach with particular attention to developing countries. Shawn's interest in public health and healthcare delivery, and in the equitable enjoyment of health research led him to collaborate with the group at TRRU.