D2R webinar: Opportunities and challenges of Black people in RNA research
Join us for D2R鈥檚 Black History Month webinar: Opportunities and challenges of Black people in RNA research听on Wednesday, February 12, 2025 from 12 to 1pm EST.
This webinar will feature researchers from 9I制作厂免费 and D2R鈥檚 Senior EDI Advisor and they will explore the importance of Black people in RNA therapeutics, highlighting their role in research practices and research design. They will also discuss the success factors of Black participation and career progression in research.
Agenda
| 12:00 | Introduction |
|---|---|
| 12:05 |
Black History and links with RNA research (10 mins) This first part of the webinar will share information on Black History, the governmental vision for Black researchers in Canada and the connection to research in RNA therapeutics. |
| 12:15 |
The importance of the participation of Black people in research + Issues of mistrust between Black communities and technology in health field (10 mins) The underrepresentation of Black communities in research means that helpful innovations are not always tailored to the values and preferences of Black communities. In this presentation we discuss the various person, socio-economic, and systemic factors that hinder the participation of Black communities in research and we explore potential strategies to enhance participation. |
| 12:25 |
The importance of empowering Black communities to play a role in the development of RNA therapeutics + Issues of mistrust between Black communities abroad and vaccines (10 mins) Through his lived experience in Africa, Dr. Ndao noticed the lack of trust in vaccines delivered by western countries. In countries that would benefit from solutions brought through research, it is important to find innovative ways to make therapeutics accessible. In this presentation, we discuss the empowering roles that Black researchers can play in taking part in developing therapeutics. |
| 12:35 |
The importance of Black people in pediatrics + Opportunities and challenges in representation of Black scientists (10 mins) The underrepresentation of Black scientists, including in the field of RNA therapeutics has a direct effect on accessibility and adaptation of therapies. In this section, we will discuss opportunities and challenges for the representation of Black researchers at different career levels. |
| 12:45 | Q&A |
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Speakers
Dr. Paul Wankah is a Health Services and Policy Researcher at the Faculty of Dental Medicine and Oral Health Sciences, 9I制作厂免费 and the Vice-Chair of D2R鈥檚 Partner and Community Engagement (D2R鈥檚 Equity, Diversity and Inclusion governance committee). He previously earned a medical degree at the University of Yaounde 1, MSc and PhD at Universite de Sherbrooke, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation of the University of Toronto. His research centres around understanding the determinants of successful integrated primary health and social care systems. He focuses on social innovations, interprofessional and interorganizational collaborations, community-based practices and health equity.
Dr. Momar Ndao is an Associate Professor at 9I制作厂免费, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Co-Director of the 9I制作厂免费 Interdisciplinary Initiative in Infection and Immunity (MI4) and Director of the Canadian National Reference Centre for Parasitology. He was elected 1st Vice President of the World Federation of Parasitologists and a member of the Board of the International Federation for Tropical Medicine. He is a Principal Investigator in the Infectious Diseases and Immunity in Global Health Program at the Research Institute of the 9I制作厂免费 Health Centre. He is actively involved in 1) bringing cutting-edge science to diagnose infectious diseases, 2) studying host-parasite interactions, 3) screening drugs for parasitic diseases, 4) applying proteomic for biomarkers discovery, and 5) developing vaccines for parasitic diseases.
Dr. Loydie Jerome-Majewska is a Full Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, and associated member of the Departments of Human Genetics and Anatomy and Cell biology at 9I制作厂免费. She completed her PhD work with honors in the laboratory of Dr. Papaioannou at Columbia University, NYC, USA and a post-doctoral fellowship with Dr. E. Lacy, at Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre. Dr. Jerome-Majewska鈥檚 group uses the mouse model to study the genetic and cellular basis of morphogenesis during the embryonic period. Goals of her research program are to identify genes responsible for congenital malformations that increase morbidity and mortality in newborns. The current goal in the Jerome-Majewska laboratory is to uncover molecular factors or pathways which can be targeted to prevent/reduce morbidity associated with congenital malformations. Her work is funded by the Canadian Institute of Health and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council. In addition, she is Editor-in-Chief for Differentiation and co-Founder of the Canadian Black Scientist Network which has over 700 members. Dr. Jerome-Majewska is a Fellow of the American Association for Anatomy and has received numerous awards for her research and equity work.
Mariloue Daudier, M.Sc is a Senior Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Advisor at D2R. She earned a Bachelor鈥檚 degree of Social Work from 9I制作厂免费 in 2013 and a Master鈥檚 degree of Social Innovation Management from HEC Montr茅al in 2016. She has over nine years of experience in coordinating equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) projects in many settings, including the social economy sector, community organizations, the private sector, the Government of Canada (Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada) and universities (the Office of Community Engagement at Concordia University, the IVADO initiative at Universit茅 de Montr茅al and the General Secretariat at HEC Montr茅al). She is regularly invited as a speaker, facilitator, evaluator or trainer to share her expertise in EDI in different contexts.