
Ma’n Zawati
Associate Professor, Centre of Genomics and Policy
Email: man.zawati@mcgill.ca
Phone: (514) 398-4806
740 Dr Penfield Ave, Room 5210
Montréal, Québec, Canada, H3A 0G1
Ma’n H. Zawati (LL.B., LL.M., Ph.D. (DCL)) is an Associate Professor at McGill University’s Faculty of Medicine and the Research Director of the Centre of Genomics and Policy in the Department of Human Genetics. He is also an Associate Member in the Department of Medicine, the Department of Equity, Ethics and Policy and the Faculty of Law. His work is interdisciplinary, drawing together perspectives from law, ethics, genomics, and policy. His research mainly focuses on the legal, ethical and policy dimensions of health research and clinical care, with a special focus on data sharing, governance, professional liability, and the use of novel technologies (e.g., mhealth apps, WGS, WES). During COVID-19, Prof. Zawati was instrumental in setting up the ethics governance for multiple initiatives, including the Quebec COVID19 Biobank (BQC19), CGEn’s national HostSeq project and the COVID-19 Immunity Task Force. His work has facilitated access and use of data and samples across jurisdictions.
Prof. Zawati is funded by the Fonds de Recherche du Québec, CIHR, Genome Quebec and Genome Canada. He’s also a frequent presenter on a variety of the most critical and topical issues in healthcare and the biosciences. He has appeared at 180+ international conferences, symposia, meetings, and has shared his expertise with universities, research ethics boards and law firms. He sits on the Board of Directors of Exactis Innovation and the Human Cell Atlas. Prof. Zawati has published more than 100 book chapters and peer reviewed articles in leading publications such as Nature Reviews Genetics, the Canadian Medical Association Journal, and the Journal of Law and the Biosciences. In 2015, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarship (stay at Oxford University) and was named a Royal Society of Canada Delegate for the IAP Young Scientists of the Year international symposium. In 2021, Prof. Zawati received his J1 FRQS Career Award. In 2022, he published his first book: “Reciprocity in Population Biobanks: Relational Autonomy and the Duty to Inform in the Genomic Era” and in 2023, he was elected Member of McGill University’s Senate.
Recent Publications
- Siermann, M, Mohan, R, Bunnik, EM, Cambon-Thomsen, A, Chadwick, R, Cornel, MC et al.. Emerging and evolving values in the changing landscape of genomics. Front Genet. 2025;16 :1566291. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2025.1566291. PubMed PMID:40352791 PubMed Central PMC12062138.
- Terry Fox Research Institute Marathon of Hope Cancer Centers Network. Electronic address: mmarra@bcgsc.ca, Terry Fox Research Institute Marathon of Hope Cancer Centers Network. The Terry Fox Research Institute Marathon of Hope Cancer Centres Network: A pan-Canadian precision oncology initiative. Cancer Cell. 2025;43 (4):587-592. doi: 10.1016/j.ccell.2025.03.014. PubMed PMID:40185094 .
- Sarikaya, E, Cook, CB, Selby, KA, Shen, Y, GenCOUNSEL Study, Elliott, AM et al.. Parental perspectives on family-centered care in pediatric neurology: An explanatory sequential mixed-methods study. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2025; :. doi: 10.1111/dmcn.16275. PubMed PMID:40170197 .
- Noë, A, Vaillancourt, E, Zawati, MH. Verbal consent in biomedical research: moving toward a future standard practice?. Front Genet. 2025;16 :1472655. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2025.1472655. PubMed PMID:40092556 PubMed Central PMC11906376.
- Cook, CB, Pistawka, C, GenCOUNSEL Study, Elliott, AM. The impact of genetic counselor involvement in genetic and genomic test order review: A scoping review. Genet Med. 2025;27 (3):101354. doi: 10.1016/j.gim.2025.101354. PubMed PMID:39807624 .
- Goudie, C, Zawati, MH, Knoppers, BM, Laberge, AM. Genomic sequencing in paediatric oncology: navigating conflicting roles and responsibilities. J Med Genet. 2025;62 (2):138-146. doi: 10.1136/jmg-2024-110410. PubMed PMID:39653388 .
- Kirby, E, Bernier, A, Guigó, R, Wold, B, Arzuaga, F, Kusunose, M et al.. Data sharing ethics toolkit: The Human Cell Atlas. Nat Commun. 2024;15 (1):9901. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-54300-3. PubMed PMID:39567529 PubMed Central PMC11579383.
- Goh, ES, Chad, L, Richer, J, Bombard, Y, Mighton, C, Agatep, R et al.. Canadian College of Medical Geneticists: clinical practice advisory document - responsibility to recontact for reinterpretation of clinical genetic testing. J Med Genet. 2024;61 (12):1123-1131. doi: 10.1136/jmg-2024-110330. PubMed PMID:39362754 PubMed Central PMC11672037.
- Uberoi, D, Dalpé, G, Cheung, K, Kondrup, E, Palmour, N, Arawi, T et al.. The Key Features of a Genetic Nondiscrimination Policy: A Delphi Consensus Statement. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7 (9):e2435355. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.35355. PubMed PMID:39325459 .
- Stevens, YY, Zawati, MH. Transparency, Evaluation and Going From "Ethics-Washing" to Enforceable Regulation: On Machine Learning-Driven Clinician Decision Aids. Am J Bioeth. 2024;24 (9):117-120. doi: 10.1080/15265161.2024.2377123. PubMed PMID:39225998 .