*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE*
THE SCIENTIST AND THE DISEASE THAT FOUND HIM:
Doctor Dopamine: The Extraordinary Life and Science of Dr. Harry Robertson
Celebrated at Two Landmark Launches—the Second Among Fellow Patients
HALIFAX, NS, July 20, 2026— What does it mean to spend a lifetime hunting a disease—only to find it hunting you? That question sits at the heart of Doctor Dopamine: The Extraordinary Life and Science of Dr. Harry Robertson, a new biography by award-winning journalist Jon Tattrie, published by HARP The Peoples’ Press. The book was celebrated at two launches: the first on June 24, 2026, at Dalhousie University, among researchers and colleagues; the second, more intimate and perhaps more poignant, on July 16 at Moody Hall, Shannex in Halifax—the long-term care facility where Dr. Robertson now lives, surrounded by friends and fellow residents, many of whom are themselves living with Parkinson’s disease.
At that second launch, Jon Tattrie read from the book. Dr. Robertson spoke briefly. His wife, Dr. Liz Townsend, spoke too. And in the room sat people who didn’t need to be told what Parkinson’s feels like.
Dr. Harry Robertson is a Professor Emeritus of Pharmacology at Dalhousie University, and one of Canada’s foremost researchers into dopamine and Parkinson’s disease. His discovery that loss of smell can serve as an early warning sign of Parkinson’s helped shift an entire scientific field toward earlier diagnosis and intervention—giving those affected more time, more options, more life. Then, in a twist that would be almost unbelievable in fiction, came his own diagnosis.
Tattrie met Robertson every Tuesday—a rhythm that gives the book its structure and its soul, echoing the intimacy of Tuesdays with Morrie while bringing the scientific precision of Oliver Sacks’ Awakenings. Midway through writing, Tattrie’s own father-in-law was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, adding yet another layer of lived understanding to a story already rich with it.
“Books can change how we understand illness—but the most powerful ones go further. They change how we understand each other. Doctor Dopamine belongs in the hands of every family living with Parkinson’s disease, and especially with those facing it themselves. Harry Robertson spent his career working toward a world with less suffering from this disease. This book carries that work forward.”
~Dr. Dorothy Lander, Co-founder, HARP The Peoples’ Press.
“Working with mice is like a Mozart symphony! This is the passion that Dr. Harry Robertson still has despite the burden he bears. This book is honest, respectful—and hopeful.”
~Fran Wittgens, 10-year caregiver to husband with Parkinson’s, Antigonish, Nova Scotia.
Dr. Robertson’s influence extends far beyond Halifax. Parkinson Canada has credited his research with advancing the field of early detection. A colleague from Sweden came to Halifax because of Robertson’s work. The Harold A. Robertson Scholarship in Parkinson’s Research at Dalhousie University now ensures his legacy lives on in the next generation of researchers.
The cover—a striking Manduca Sexta moth rendered by celebrated Dartmouth artist Rose Adams, RCA, over a woodblock-print brain and blue X-ray background—traces back to Robertson’s earliest dopamine studies at Cambridge, where the moth was his first subject.
Jon Tattrie is a three-time Atlantic Journalism Awards winner whose work has appeared in Canadian Geographic, The Globe and Mail, CBC Radio, and beyond. He is the author of eight books and teaches at the University of King’s College and Dalhousie University.
The annual Parkinson SuperWalk in Halifax–Bedford takes place at de Wolfe Park on September 12th. Find a walk near you at superwalk.parkinson.ca.
Launch Events
First Launch: June 24, 2026—Collaborative Health Education Building, Dalhousie University, 5793 University Avenue, Halifax
Second Launch: July 16, 2026—Moody Hall, Shannex, Halifax (long-term care facility)
About HARP The Peoples’ Press
HARP The Peoples’ Press is a Nova Scotia community interest company committed to advancing health equity, reconciliation, and social justice through book publishing and storytelling. www.tryhealingarts.ca
Media Contact
Robin Grant – robin@tryhealingarts.ca – 9
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Robin Grant
Strategy Facilitator
HARP Publishing: The People’s Press
