James Hazel, PhD, JD

James W. Hazel, Ph.D., J.D. is a postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Genetic Privacy and Identity in Community Settings (GetPreCiSe) at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. His current research centers on developing a better understanding of the ethical, legal, and social implications of emerging technologies, with a focus on the direct-to-consumer genetic testing industry and the privacy policies governing the collection, use, and, sharing of genetic data. Dr. Hazel’s research has appeared in academic journals including Science, Genetics, and the Cornell Journal of Law and Public Policy, and has been cited by popular media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, Bloomberg News, and Business Insider. He holds a law degree (J.D.) from Vanderbilt University Law School and a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of Wyoming, where his doctoral research focused on the mitotic spindle, the target of many chemotherapeutic cancer drugs.