Dr Tayyaba Jiwani

I am a Postdoctoral Research Associate on the ERC-funded HUGERA Project (Human Genomics Without Racism), based at the Egenis Centre for the Study of Life Sciences. My research is in science and technology studies (STS), where I examine how genomics studies on human health and disease navigate the complexities of race in science and society.

 

My work has also examined the interaction of genomics with nationalism and nation-building projects, with a focus on South Asia. My research broadly engages with postcolonial and feminist approaches to STS and studies on the political economy of science. I have published in leading STS and genetics journals, including New Genetics & Society, Frontiers in Genetics, and Development. I have also written for wider popular and policy audiences, in outlets like Science for the People and ISSUES in Science & Technology.

 

I previously trained as a geneticist and developmental biologist, completing my PhD at the University of Toronto, Canada. My doctoral work characterised the genetic processes that regulate the development of the cerebellum, and underlie paediatric medulloblastomas, to help inform targeted diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. 

 

Additionally, I have worked extensively in science policy and public engagement, including as MITACS Policy Fellow with the Ontario Ministry of Health's Digital Health Division and at The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation (Canada) and Cancer Research UK. I also have significant editorial experience, at academic journals and popular media, including Jamhoor, LA Review of Books, and the Journal of Undergraduate Life Sciences.