Tamara Franz-Odendaal

Dr. Tamara Franz-Odendaal is a Professor of Biology at Mount Saint Vincent University, with adjunct appointments at Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Medicine and Saint Mary’s University. Her research in evolutionary developmental biology focuses on skeletal and craniofacial development in vertebrates, utilizing both modern and fossil specimens to understand morphological evolution.

Her research interests include:

• Evolutionary Developmental Biology
• Skeletal and Craniofacial Development
• Genetic mechanisms of morphological change
• Morphology and comparative anatomy
• Effects of microgravity on bone development
• Zebrafish as a model organism

Dr. Franz-Odendaal’s work bridges basic science and applied research, with projects funded by NSERC, the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, the Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation, and Research Nova Scotia. Notably, her collaboration with the Canadian Space Agency revealed that microgravity induces cranial defects in zebrafish, with implications for human space travel. She also collaborates with a plastic surgeon at the IWK Children’s Hospital to study drug effects on skull development and works with aquaculture industries to diagnose skeletal issues in fish.

Her scientific honors include being one of five NSERC Chairs for Women in Science and Engineering in Canada, where she leads initiatives to engage girls in STEM through hands-on science programs, camps, and retreats.

She leads the Franz-Odendaal Bone Development Lab, which integrates developmental biology, genetics, and morphology to study skeletal formation. Her research has broad implications for understanding congenital diseases and improving health outcomes.