Fiona Alice Miller, PhD
Doctoral Students
Renata Axler is a PhD candidate in the Institute of Health Policy,
Management and Evaluation under the supervision of Dr. Fiona Miller, and is also involved in the Collaborative Program in Bioethics at the Joint Centre for Bioethics. Renata completed a BA in Bioethics and Environmental Studies at the University of Toronto and a Master’s degree in Bioethics at the University of Sydney, Australia. Renata's doctoral research is funded by a CIHR Doctoral Research Award and uses a mixed-methods design to examine issues around commercialization and conflicts of interest in academic biomedical research.
Rayzel Shulman received her medical degree at McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada and recently completed her training in paediatrics and paediatric endocrinology at the Hospital for Sick Children and University of Toronto. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Health Services Research with a concentration in Health Policy at the University of Toronto under the supervision of Drs. Fiona Miller and Astrid Guttmann. Her area of interest is in Health Policy-relevant Health Services Research related to the care of youth with diabetes. For her PhD thesis, she is conducting an evaluation of a universal funding program for insulin pump therapy for youth.
Céline Cressman is a PhD student in Health Policy, and a CIHR Fellow in Public Health Policy. Her academic background includes a MSc in Public Health Research from the University of Edinburgh, and a degree in Social Studies of Medicine from McGill University. Her MSc thesis explored public engagement in stem cell research. Prior to beginning her PhD, Céline conducted research in the UBC Faculty of Medicine's eHealth Strategy Office. This work included a variety of research projects exploring technology-enabled knowledge translation, health literacy, patient safety, and physician education. Céline's PhD thesis seeks to examine HPV vaccination and cervical cancer control, particularly in terms of the challenges inherent in coordinating complex public health policy.
Jennifer Marshall is a PhD student in the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation and the Joint Centre for Bioethics at the University of Toronto, under the supervision of Dr. Fiona Miller. Jennifer has two MSc degrees in Human Genetics and in Experimental Medicine (Specialization: bioethics) from McGill University and previously worked as a research associate in the field of Neuroethics at the Health Law Institute, Dalhousie University. She is interested in ethical issues surrounding genetic screening programs, personalized medicine, and uncertainty in the diagnosis of genetic disorders.
Master’s Degree Students
Diana An is an MSc student in the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto, under the supervision of Dr. Fiona Miller. Diana obtained her BScN degree at the University of Toronto and has since worked with the maternal-newborn population in both the clinical and research setting. She is deeply interested in working with vulnerable populations and is striving to be involved in policy and research initiatives that will lead to the betterment of care for these special groups. Her Masters’ thesis involves looking at the health care provider’s experience with newborn screening education in the immediate postpartum setting using a qualitative, interview methodology.
Jessica Bytautas is a Research Officer for Dr. Fiona Miller. Jessica completed her BA(Hons) in Philosophy at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. In addition to working part-time for Dr. Miller, Jessica is an MSc student in the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto under the supervision of Dr. Mark Dobrow.
Yvonne Bombard received her Interdisciplinary doctorate in Medical Genetics at the University of British Columbia and recently completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Health Service and Policy Research at the University of Toronto. Now a Postdoctoral Fellow at Yale University and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, she conducts mixed methods research on the ethical and policy implications of genetic screening, personalized medicine and health technology assessment, to support effective knowledge translation and evidence-based policy development.
Martin French received his PhD in Sociology from Queen's University and worked under the mentorship of Dr. Fiona Miller as a postdoctoral fellow with the Institute of Health Policy, Management & Evaluation at the University of Toronto. As a sociologist whose core area of specialization is concentrated in the field of Communication & Information Technology, Martin's research critically assesses the information-processing practices of organizations. With Dr. Miller, Martin is investigating how the information networks of healthcare organizations are, or may be, harnessed for biotechnology innovation and commercialization initiatives. Martin continues to build on this research program in his current position, as SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellow with the Department of Sociology at Queen's University, where he is investigating information networks in public health settings.
Tommy Tam is a Research Assistant working with Dr. Fiona Miller to provide an overview of the Canadian funding policies and initiatives that promote commercialization in academic biomedical research. He recently received his Honours Bachelor of Science from University of Toronto, specializing in human health and diseases. It is the complexity of the human body that always amazes Tommy, and is the driving force for a career in research. Aside from his academic aspirations, he is often seen volunteering in order to contribute back to his community. Community involvements open Tommy’s eyes to observe the world in another perspective. It reminds him to do his best, not only for himself, but for those who are under-privileged by making a difference in their lives. Starting in September 2011, Tommy will begin his Master of Science in Health Services Research at the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto under the supervision of Dr. Walter Wodchis.
Research Staff
Carolyn Barg is a Research Officer for Dr. Fiona Miller. Carolyn completed her BA in Psychology at the University of Manitoba and an MSc in Kinesiology and Health Studies (with a focus on Health Promotion) at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.
Past Postdoctoral Fellows
Robin Hayeems is a postdoctoral fellow in the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto and the Institute of Clinical Evaluative Sciences under the supervision of Drs. Astrid Guttmann and Peter Durie. Funded through Cystic Fibrosis Canada, she is exploring provincial and national newborn and childhood screening policy-relevant questions. In addition, Robin is a genetic counsellor at the Hospital for Sick Children, where she is considering models for integrating microarray technology into clinical care. Robin’s research priorities are informed by her doctoral training in public health sciences and bioethics.
Serena Purdy completed her BA in Bioethics and Drama at the University of toronto, and her MS in Bioethics in the Union Graduate College/Mt. Sinai School of Medicine program. She is currently a PhD student in Health Services Research and Bioethics studying under the supervision of Dr. Fiona Miller. Over the course of her education, she has also worked in different capacities with Research Ethics Boards in urban and suburban Ontario. She has published on the subjects of Bioethics education, and the regulation of biolosimilars. Her research interests include mixed methods research and Bioethics; the sale of gametes; prenatal screening; therapeutic hope; the governance of research ethics boards; and the drug approval process.
Elaine Goh is a Health Services Research Master’s Student in the Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation at the University of Toronto, under the supervision of Drs. Fiona Miller and Wendy Ungar. She obtained her BSc in Molecular Genetics and Molecular Biology at the University of Toronto and received her medical degree at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario. She completed her residency in Medical Genetics at the University of Toronto and will be practicing as a Clinical Geneticist. Her Master’s thesis is funded by a Restracomp Award, which is supported by the Ontario Student Opportunity Trust Fund – Hospital for Sick Children Foundation Student Scholarship Program and involves looking at genetic counsellors’ preferences surrounding Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis using a discrete choice methodology. She is interested in combining quality health services research and clinical genetics experience in order to inform health policy.
Josh Cummings is a Research Officer for Dr. Fiona Miller. Josh completed his BA(Hons) in Policy Science and Sociology at the University of Western Ontario and MA in Policy Science at Wilfrid Laurier University
