Jonathan Jarry is a Canadian scientist and science communicator working in Montreal, at McGill University's Office for Science and Society (OSS). He is frequently quoted by news media on topics such as misinformation.

Education and scientific career

Jarry developed an early interest in several paranormal topics such as ghosts and vampires as well as cryptozoology, but progressively abandoned those beliefs while studying biochemistry in university. Jarry has a B.Sc. in Biochemistry from McGill University and an M.Sc. in Molecular Biology from the Université de Montréal and three years of a PhD program. His early professional interests included the identification of bodies through DNA,

muscular dystrophy Muscular dystrophies (MD) are a genetically and clinically heterogeneous group of rare neuromuscular diseases that cause progressive weakness and breakdown of skeletal muscles over time. The disorders differ as to which muscles are primarily affe ...

research, low-vision rehabilitation and molecular

diagnostic testing A medical test is a medical procedure performed to detect, diagnose, or monitor diseases, disease processes, susceptibility, or to determine a course of treatment. Medical tests such as, physical and visual exams, diagnostic imaging, genetic te ...

Science communication

Jarry joined McGill University's Office for Science and Society in 2017, where he is Science Communicator as of 2023. Since 2021, the Canadian news magazine L'actualité publishes some of his texts written for OSS. He makes a regular appearance on the noon program of the

CTV Television Network The CTV Television Network, commonly known as CTV, is a Canadian English-language terrestrial television network. Launched in 1961 and acquired by BCE Inc. in 2000, CTV is Canada's largest privately owned television network and is now a divis ...

's Montreal affiliate. Jarry has been frequently cited as an expert on misinformation by major media outlets, including the New York Times, Time Magazine, the Washington Post and the Financial Times. He contributes to the

ScienceUpFirst ScienceUpFirst is a Canadian initiative launched to counter misinformation online, especially about COVID-19. Launched January 25, 2021, it brings together independent scientists, health care providers and science communicators. Goals and history ...

education initiative as an expert resource. Since 2015, Jarry has been co-hosting the Body of Evidence podcast with cardiologist

Christopher Labos Christopher is the English version of a Europe-wide name derived from the Greek name Χριστόφορος (''Christophoros'' or '' Christoforos''). The constituent parts are Χριστός (''Christós''), "Christ" or "Anointed", and φέρει� ...

, examining various health claims (such as vitamins curing cancer) through scientific lens. The podcast, which uses humour to present discussions on medical issues between Jarry and Labos (and sometimes guests), won the Canada’s Favourite Blog for 2017 award from Science Borealis. He also hosted the podcast Within Reason from 2013 to 2015. On similar topics, Jarry previously wrote the Cracked Science blog for its two-year run. Panel OSS 20

Jarry's science education work was prominently featured by numerous media outlets in North America and Europe in July 2018, when a video he produced for the Office of Science and Society went

viral Viral means "relating to viruses" (small infectious agents). Viral may also refer to: Viral behavior, or virality Memetic behavior likened that of a virus, for example: * Viral marketing, the use of existing social networks to spread a marke ...

, reaching 10 million views and was shared 130,000 times in two weeks. The 2-minute video titled "This NATURAL TRICK can CURE YOUR CANCER" adopted the tone and visual appearance of those promoting fake cures commonly seen on the Internet, claiming one Johan R. Tarjany (an anagram of Jarry's name) discovered a moss derivative that cures cancer, before revealing the information as false and inviting the watcher to think critically about health information. The video gained widespread attention and news coverage when relayed by people with a large online presence such as

David Gorski David Henry Gorski is an American surgical oncologist, professor of surgery at Wayne State University School of Medicine, and a surgical oncologist at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, specializing in breast cancer surgery. He is an out ...

, Susan Gerbic, Kavin Senapathy and comedian Scott Rogowsky. Recognizing the influence of Timothy Caulfield, Jarry advocates for an approach to science communication that is compassionate and honest about the challenges and problems in science: "I believe that I've become more empathetic and compassionate over the years." He sees science communication getting more difficult, requiring advanced knowledge or research, but is encouraged that experts speak to the media more frequently and skillfully.

References

External links

Jarry's viral video on YouTube

The Body of Evidence website

Jarry's articles on the OSS website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jarry, Jonathan Living people Canadian scientists Université de Montréal alumni McGill University alumni Science communicators Canadian skeptics Canadian science writers Year of birth missing (living people)