Centre for Commercial Law Studies, Queen Mary University of London, UK
Job Title:
Research assistant
Last Updated:
Tuesday, 19 February 2013
Research Interests
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Expertise:
My research interests are on intellectual property laws (especially patent laws and plant variety protection systems) in relation to the scientific and commercial use of biogenetic resources and traditional knowledge; environmental law, especialy biodiversity and access and benefit sharing laws. I am also interested in bioprospecting and biopiracy issues in connection to the scientific and commercial use of biological and genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge of local and indigenous communities. The legal protection of community rights over their traditional assets from a human rights perspective is at the heart of my research interests. I am writing a book entitled: "Community Rights, Intellectual Property Rights and Human Rights: The biological and Genetic Resources of Developing Countries". In this book, i am essentially exploring avenues to protect the rights of traditional and local communities iver their biological resources and traditional knowledge, human rights based biodiversity regulatory measures. I discuss some key internatiomnal and regional human rights instruments focussing on how they cover or can be applied to indigenous peoples' rights.
Professional/ Work Experience:
I completed my PhD at Queen Mary, University of London entitled: "Community Rights and Biodiversity Regulations: Lessons from Cameroon and South Africa". Before joining Queen Mary in 2002, i worked as research assistant then research and policy officer at the Limbe Botanical and Zoological Gardens in Cameroon from 1999 to 2002. I contributed to the development of the Limbe policy on Access and Benefit Sharing and collaborative research. I have consulted with international bodies and NGOs on environmental law related issues especially on Access and Benefit Sharing. I have also provided expertise to some NGOs on bioprospecting and biopiracy issues. I have carried out substantial field work, travelling in many countries. I have attended many international meetings across the world addressing a range of issues including forestry and intellectual property issues and have presented papers on these subjects. I have also published and reviewed books in various journals.
I am also contributing to organisational development. I am currently involved in the development of ACDEF (the African Conservation and Development Foundation) www.acdef.org, a registered charity in England and Wales. In the context of ACDEF, we i am involved in climate change mitigation projects, such as REDD initiatives and involved in the development of policy projects and poverty alleviation activities. At ACDEF, we are thriving to blend biodiversity conservation with the improvement of the living conditions of local communities.
Affiliation:
Member of the IUCN Commission on Environmental Law
Member of the IUCN Specoalist Groupm on Forest.
Member of the Access and Benefit Sharing Expert Group in Africa (www.abs-africa.info)
member of the BA (The British Association)
Member: Cameroon Bioscience Society.
Geo Interest:
Global
GDN Subject Interests: Food Policy and Food Security | Forestry | Community Based Rural Development | Biodiversity | Climate Change | Natural Resources Management | Poverty Reduction | Services and Transfers to the Poor | Gender, Poverty and Economic Policy | Corruption | Decentralization | Human Rights | Intergovernmental Organizations | NGOs and Civil Society | Policy Process | Environmental Law | Indigenous Rights | International Law | Trade Policy | Debt Relief and HIPC | Labour Standards | Corporate Governance and Law
