Dr Omkar Nadh Pattela
Researcher biography
Dr Omkar Nadh Pattela is a Research Fellow at the University of Queensland, based at the Law School and affiliated with the Centre for Policy Futures. His research spans science and technology studies (STS), public health, and regulatory governance, with a focus on how institutional, political, and economic dynamics shape biomedical innovation.
He is currently undertaking a qualitative project on synthetic biology as part of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Synthetic Biology. This research explores how earlier controversies surrounding genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have influenced the governance, regulation, and public legitimacy of emerging synthetic biology applications.
He recently completed a multi-year study on the invention and commercialisation of the HPV vaccine, analysing how patent disputes, university–industry partnerships, and licensing practices shaped its development and global access. The project contributes to broader debates on intellectual property, academic capitalism, and the political economy of health technologies.
Dr Pattela earned his PhD in Development Studies from the Institute for Social and Economic Change, India. His doctoral research examined the political economy of medical biotechnology in India's life sciences sector and was published as a monograph by Routledge in 2022. With interdisciplinary training in systems biology, STS, and intellectual property law, he brings a cross-sectoral lens to both research and teaching. He has taught at institutions in India and Australia on innovation policy, responsible science, and development studies.