Bryn Williams-Jones

Bryn Williams-Jones
2014
Born	1972 Kingston, Ontario
Nationality	Canada, France, United Kingdom
Education	PhD
Alma mater	McGill University, University of British Columbia, University of Cambridge
Scientific career
Fields	Bioethics, Professional ethics, Research integrity
Institutions	Bioethics Program, School of Public Health, Université de Montréal
Doctoral advisor	Michael Burgess
Website	Academic CV

Bryn Williams-Jones (born 1972) is a Canadian bioethicist who since 2010 has directed the Bioethics Program^[1] at the School of Public Health, Université de Montréal, and is professor in the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine.^[2][3] He is co-founder and editor-in-chief of the Canadian Journal of Bioethics/Revue canadienne de bioéthique,^[4] the first open access bilingual bioethics journal in Canada (formerly called BioéthiqueOnline, 2012–17), and is a member of the Public Health Research Institute of the Université de Montréal (IRSPUM)^[5] and the Centre for Ethics Research (CRÉ).^[6]

Education

An interdisciplinary scholar, Williams-Jones completed a bachelors degree in Philosophy and then a Masters in Religious Studies (bioethics specialization) at McGill University, before pursuing his PhD in Interdisciplinary studies (bioethics) at the W. Maurice Young Centre for Applied Ethics^[7] at the University of British Columbia, where he focused on issues of genetics and ethics.^[8][9] He then did a post-doctoral fellowship at the Centre for Family Research,^[10] University of Cambridge, and was a junior research fellow at Homerton College. Before taking up his current position at the Université de Montréal, he worked for a year as a research ethicist at the Cardiff Institute of Society, Health and Ethics, Cardiff University, Wales.

Research

Williams-Jones is interested in the socio-ethical and policy implications of health innovations in diverse contexts. His work examines the conflicts that arise in academic research and professional practice with a view to developing practical ethical tools to manage these conflicts when they cannot be avoided. He has published more than 100 articles, commentaries, book chapters and case studies,^[11] on topics related to public health policy, regulation and science and technology innovation on subjects including genetics, pharmaceutical development, direct-to-consumer advertising, nanotechology, and pharmacogenomics. He has also published on the responsible conduct of research (i.e., research integrity, research ethics), with a focus on the management of conflicts of interest.

Academic service

Williams-Jones is active in developing innovative pedagogical approaches in professional ethics, public health ethics, and research integrity, and has served on university committees in the Faculty of Graduate Studies and in the School of Public Health, to develop governance initiatives to encourage the responsible conduct of research and prevent misconduct (such as plagiarism and conflicts of interest^[12]). He is a member specialized in ethics of the top-level University Research Ethics Committee (CUER),^[13] and has served on expert advisory committees for the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, Genome Canada, and the Quebec National Institute for Excellence in Health and Social Services (INESSS).^[14]

Media

Williams-Jones has been interviewed by LaPresse,^[15][16][17] CBC,^[18][19] Le Devoir,^[20] Toronto Star,^[21] National Post,^[22] and appeared on radio and television shows such as Tout le monde en parle,^[23] ICI Radio-Canada,^[24][25][26] and CBC Newsworld.

References