The entire BridgELSI team celebrates the promotion of Professor Shawneequa Callier to the rank of Professor in the Department of Clinical Research and Leadership at George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences, United States, effective 1st of July 2026.
Prof. Callier is an expert in bioethics and genomics law, she is widely recognized for her research on the ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of human genome research and data science. Her promotion to the rank of Professor recognizes her impactful work on the global stage. Prof. Callier has worked closely with members of the Center for Bioethics and Research (CBR), Nigeria conducting ethics research which has led to publications in high impact journals.
As a member of the Bridging Gaps in the ELSI of Data Science Research (BridgELSI) Project, Professor Callier explores the legal and ethical implications of AI, Data Science, Genomics and other emerging technologies. As part of her collaboration with the CBR, Prof. Callier and other co-investigators attended the 3rd Data Science Innovation (DS-I) Africa meeting in Kigali, Rwanda in November 2023, and the 4th DS-I Africa consortium meeting in Mauritius in November 2024. Prof. Callier also chaired a breakout session at the 5th DS-I Africa consortium meeting in Accra Ghana in August 2025 where she made a presentation on ‘Results of Data Sharing and Governance Survey’ – part of the BridgELSI Project work.
Prof. Callier has published several BridgELSI including the project’s first paper in Nature Communications in September 2023 titled ‘The Promise of Data Science for Health Research in Africa’. Other BridgELSI papers by Prof. Callier include the Adebamowo C, Akintola A, Maduka OC, Ikhane P, Jegede A, Callier S, Akintola S, Ogundiran T, Adeyemo O, Adebamowo SN. Knowledge and Recommendations of Stakeholders regarding Ethical Oversight of Data Science Health Research: A qualitative study protocol. JMIR Res Protoc. 2025 Oct 20. doi: 10.2196/78557. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41130595.
Professor Callier’s commitment to her field extends beyond research and into science policy. She is a passionate advocate for ensuring that underrepresented populations are ethically and fairly included in biomedical and genomic research. Her tireless efforts in this area were recognized when she received the NIH Genome Recognition Award (GREAT Award) in October 2017 from the National Human Genome Research Institute of the US National Institutes of Health. Her advocacy shapes modern methods for data collection to ensure that global human genomic variation is accurately represented.
Prof. Callier is renowned for her innovative approach to online and in-person education. She teaches bioethics and health care law in the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences (SMHS) Translational Health Sciences Ph.D. program. She is passionate about training the next generation of scientists, researchers, and healthcare professionals to thoughtfully navigate the ethical dilemmas they will face in their careers. She bridges the gap between law and medicine, ensuring that students and researchers alike understand both the legal parameters and the human impact of data science.
The investigators on the Bridging Gaps in the ELSI of Data Science Research (BridgELSI) Project will continue to work with Prof. Callier on the intersection of human genetics laws and health research ethics. We wish her all the best in her new position, and we are proud to be associated with her.
