Keywords
Fields of Research (FoR)
Educational Technology and Media, Genomics, Pharmacogenomics, Sociology and Social Studies of Science and TechnologySEO tags
Biography
Bronwyn is a science communicator, educator, researcher and writer working at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in the Centre for Population Genomics. She focuses on developing strategic approaches to implementation of genomic medicine, often through engaging and educating public and professional audiences. She is an investigator on national projects focused on genomics workforce and education, genetic literacy, teaching with molecular...view more
Bronwyn is a science communicator, educator, researcher and writer working at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research in the Centre for Population Genomics. She focuses on developing strategic approaches to implementation of genomic medicine, often through engaging and educating public and professional audiences. She is an investigator on national projects focused on genomics workforce and education, genetic literacy, teaching with molecular animations, and community engagement with genomics.
In past roles in Australia, the US and UK, Bronwyn has focused on engaging different audiences with genetics, genomics and molecular biology. She has coordinated a national network of genomics educators, curated museum exhibitions in Australia, the US and the UK, and developed education programs for school students, teachers, professionals and public audiences. Bronwyn produced award-winning online resources for Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory’s Dolan DNA Learning Center on molecular biology, genetics and cancer. She also established and managed the public engagement team for the largest genome centre in Europe, the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute.
Throughout her career, Bronwyn’s focus has shifted between collaborations generating data and experience, directly producing resources, advising on large public projects and enabling researchers in their own public engagement efforts. She has advised on exhibitions for the Science Museum and Natural History Museum in London, and significantly contributed to innovative education and public engagement collaborations, including educational resources, travelling exhibitions and events, alternate reality games, and a range of broadcast media.
My Grants
My Health Care Choices My Way 2025/MRF2044902 2025-2030 (CI) Developing practical resources to help young people with intellectual disability navigate the shift from paediatric to adult health care.
Enabling inclusive population-scale genomics through culturally appropriate participant information, innovation in language translation, and workforce development 2025/MRF2045161 2025-2027 (CI) Developing co-designed translated materials, approaches to translation and education for researchers and bicultural workers.
CYP2C19 genetic testing to enhance antiplatelet drug safety and efficacy 2025/MRF2045096 2025-2031 (AI) Implementing of a pharmacogenomics testing service to prevent blood clots after heart procedures.
Diagnosis4All: Co-designing Equitable and Sustainable Solutions to Reduce the Diagnostic Odyssey 2025/MRF2045062 2025-2027 (AI) Co-designing solutions to improve rare care in multicultural communities.
Barriers and Enablers to Education on Genomic Health for Primary and High School Students with Intellectual Disability PS68387 2022-2025 (CI) DEI ADA Faculty Research Grants, UNSW Sydney. Improving the education students with intellectual disability learn about genetic health care in schools.
A national platform for evaluation and integration of advanced analytics in the diagnosis of genetic disease
2024/MRF2032931 2024-2028 (CI) Capacity building for diagnostic health professionals in use of AI.
PRECISE (Practitioner Readiness, Education and Capabilities, with Implementation Science Evaluation) Genomics Research Project MRFF 2023/MRF2024995 2023-2026 (AI) Genomics education for primary practitioners.
Trial Integration of Polygenic Scores for Common Cancers into Standard Clinical Care 2023/MRF2024994
2023-2027 (CI) Collaborating on educational supports for genetic health professionals using polygenic scores.
Preparing Australia for Genomic Medicine and Australian Genomics NHMRC 113531 2015-2020 (one of 83 CIs); Member of the Working Group for Genomic Workforce and Education. 2024/GNT2035846 2024-2025 (AI).
Understanding the Australian public's expectations of personalised genomics ARC DP 150100597 2015-2018 (PI) Public attitudes, knowledge and trust of online DNA testing informing position statements and education.
My Qualifications
Master of Education (specialising in Educational Technologies), Monash University. Research: Exploring opportunities to develop students’ genomic literacy – as a subset of scientific literacy – in Australian secondary schools
Graduate Certificate of Applied Science (Scientific & Technical Writing), Deakin University
Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary: Biology and Chemistry), Monash University
Graduate Diploma in Scientific Communication (Distinction), Australian National University
Bachelor of Science (Biochemistry, Organic Chemistry), University of Queensland, Brisbane
My Research Activities
Bronwyn became directly involved in research in 2015 in areas that span genetic literacy, genomics education in health, and public expectations of personal genomic tests.
Bronwyn is an investigator on the MRFF-funded DNAScreen genomic screening study (2021-2025). She is also an investigator on a subsection of the geneEQUAL study, researching genomics education in schools for people with intellectual disability. She was an investigator with the Australian Genomics Health Alliance and a member of the Program 4 Working Group for Genomic Workforce, Education and Ethics, funded by the NHMRC for Preparing Australia for Genomic Medicine (113531; 2015-2020) and a partner investigator on the ARC-funded Genioz mixed-methods study (2015-2018 DP 150100597) Understanding the Australian public's expectations of personalised genomics and led the development of evidence-based resources on personal genomic tests.
She is also working on international, national and local collaborations focused on
- community awareness and genetic literacy regarding genomic technologies in genetic screening;
- health professionals' attitudes to and knowledge of pharmacogenomic testing;
- mainstreaming genomic testing;
- teaching with molecular animations; and
- community engagement with genomics and gene editing.
Publications
ORCID as entered in ROS
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0263-363X