Judy Illes, Ph.D., is Professor of Neurology

Neurology

Neurology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous system. Specifically, it deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of disease involving the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, including their coverings, blood vessels, and all effector tissue,...

 and Canada Research Chair in Neuroethics

Neuroethics

Neuroethics is the ethics of neuroscience, and the neuroscience of ethics.The ethics of neuroscience deals with matters as a subclass of bioethics...

 at the University of British Columbia

University of British Columbia

The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...

. She is Director of the National Core for Neuroethics

National Core for Neuroethics

The National Core for Neuroethics at the University of British Columbia was established in August 2007, with generous support from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Institute of Mental Health and Addiction, Canada Foundation for Innovation, the British Columbia Knowledge Development Fund,...

 at UBC, and faculty in the Brain Research Centre at UBC and at the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute. She also holds affiliate appointments in the School of Population and Public Health and the School of Journalism at UBC, and in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Washington

University of Washington

University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...

 in Seattle, WA. USA.

Research Focus

Illes' research focuses on the ethical, legal, social and policy challenges specifically at the intersection of the neurosciences and biomedical ethics. This includes studies on functional neuroimaging

Functional neuroimaging

Functional neuroimaging is the use of neuroimaging technology to measure an aspect of brain function, often with a view to understanding the relationship between activity in certain brain areas and specific mental functions...

 in basic and clinical research

Clinical research

Clinical research is a branch of medical science that determines the safety and effectiveness of medications, devices, diagnostic products and treatment regimens intended for human use...

, regenerative medicine

Regenerative medicine

Regenerative medicine is the "process of replacing or regenerating human cells, tissues or organs to restore orestablish normal function". This field holds the promise of regenerating damaged tissues and organs in the body by replacing damaged tissue and/or by stimulating the body's own repair...

, dementia

Dementia

Dementia is a serious loss of cognitive ability in a previously unimpaired person, beyond what might be expected from normal aging...

, addiction

Substance dependence

The section about substance dependence in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders does not use the word addiction at all. It explains:...

, and the commercialization

Commercialization

Commercialization is the process or cycle of introducing a new product or production method into the market. The actual launch of a new product is the final stage of new product development, and the one where the most money will have to be spent for advertising, sales promotion, and other marketing...

 of cognitive neuroscience

Cognitive neuroscience

Cognitive neuroscience is an academic field concerned with the scientific study of biological substrates underlying cognition, with a specific focus on the neural substrates of mental processes. It addresses the questions of how psychological/cognitive functions are produced by the brain...

. She also leads a robust program of research and outreach devoted to improving the literacy of neuroscience and engaging stakeholders on a global scale.

Other activities

Illes is an internationally recognized author, lecturer, and mentor. She is a co-founder and Executive Committee Member of the Neuroethics Society, a member of the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives, and a former member of the Internal Advisory Board for the Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction (CIHR) and of the Institute of Medicine, Forum on Neuroscience and Neurological Disorders. Illes is editor of the American Journal of Bioethics

American Journal of Bioethics

The American Journal of Bioethics , founded in 1999 by bioethicist Dr. Glenn McGee, is a peer reviewed journal published by Taylor and Francis. The journal publishes 12 issues each year, and is available both in print and on the internet, at , the most-visited bioethics website...

 (AJOB)-Neuroscience, co-Editor of Neuroethics: Defining the Issues in Theory, Practice and Policy (Oxford University Press, 2006) and the Oxford Handbook of Neuroethics (Oxford University Press, Forthcoming, 2010). Illes was co-Chair of the Committee on Women in Neuroscience (C-WIN) for the Society for Neuroscience

Society for Neuroscience

The Society for Neuroscience is a professional society, headquartered in Washington, D.C., for basic scientists and physicians around the world whose research is focused on the study of the brain and nervous system.-History:...

 (SfN) from 2005–2008, and now serves as Chair of the new Committee on Women in World Neuroscience

Women in World Neuroscience

Women in World Neuroscience is a committee of the International Brain Research Organization.-About:In 2008, the International Brain Research Organization created a standing ad hoc committee, Women in World Neuroscience...

 (WWN) for the International Brain Research Organization

International Brain Research Organization

The International Brain Research Organization was founded in 1961 in response to the growing demand from neuroscientists in many countries for the creation of a central organization that would cut across world boundaries and improve communication and collaboration among brain researchers...

 (IBRO).

Sources