Elizabeth Toon

Dr Elizabeth Toon is a Lecturer in Science Communication at the University of Manchester's Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine (CHSTM). As Programme Director for the MSc in Science and Health Communication, she leads modules including Introduction to Science Communication and Health Communication while supervising research projects across medical humanities and science communication. She contributes to teaching in multiple faculties including the Manchester Medical School, School of Biological Sciences, and School of Arts, Languages and Cultures.

Education:

• BA in History (with honors) from Northwestern University
• Certificate in Science in Human Culture program
• MA and PhD in History and Sociology of Science from University of Pennsylvania

Her research examines expert-lay dynamics in medical knowledge, focusing on women's cancer experiences (1920s-1980s) and the evolution of cervical/mammogram screening (1960-2000). She co-authored several seminal works on arthritis treatment history with Prof. Michael Worboys and explores digital humanities applications in historical medical research.

Recent publications demonstrate interdisciplinary engagement across History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences and History of the Human Sciences, addressing topics like translational medicine origins, steroid therapy adoption, and digital methodologies in medical historiography. Her work aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals through medical humanities contributions.

Active in academic service, she serves as External Examiner for Newcastle University's MA in History of Medicine and previously chaired Manchester's Medical Humanities Laboratory steering committee. She supervises postgraduate research in CHSTM, Nursing, and Biological Sciences, maintaining cross-institutional collaborations.