Koumari Mitra

Dr. Koumari Mitra is a Professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of New Brunswick (UNB), Fredericton, Canada. She holds a PhD in Human Cytogenetics from the University of Delhi, India, and has postdoctoral training at UNB and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Education:

• PhD in Human Cytogenetics, Department of Anthropology, University of Delhi, India
• Postdoctoral Training: University of New Brunswick and University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Research Interests:

Her work focuses on biomedical anthropology, gender issues in women’s health, and the intersection of globalization and health. Key areas include cancer prevention in New Brunswick, HIV/AIDS impacts in India’s urban slums, reproductive health among tribal populations, and social entrepreneurship as an empowerment strategy for marginalized groups. She leads a biological anthropology laboratory at UNB and has pioneered research on traditional medicine practices in India and Indonesia.

Funding & Grants:

• SSHRC Seed Grant Award
• Women and Development Award (Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute)
• CIHR Development Grant Award
• IDRC-CURA International Development Grant
• New Brunswick Regional Research Development Program

Advising & Projects:

Supervised MA theses on topics such as adolescent health, HIV transmission risks, cervical cancer awareness, and traditional medicine practices. Currently supervising a PhD thesis on social entrepreneurship in New Delhi. Recent projects include studying cancer perception in New Brunswick and HIV/AIDS vulnerability in India.

Labs & Teams:

Director of the Biological Anthropology Laboratory at UNB, collaborating with organizations like FAITH Healthcare (New Delhi) and the National Cancer Institute of Canada.