The Pandemic and Emergency Readiness Lab's team is committed to strengthening local and global readiness for health crises. Below are the academics, practitioners, and researchers involved in advancing actionable research and promoting crisis-ready leadership.
PERL Team
| Dr. Joanne LiuDirector of PERL and Professor, Department of Global and Public Health at ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹ÏDr. Liu is a Canadian practicing paediatric emergency physician at University of Montréal and Professor at ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï where she focuses on pandemic and health emergencies. She is the former International President of Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors without Borders, and has engaged with the world leaders at the highest level on medical humanitarian crises. She is involved in various high-level initiatives and commissions related to pandemics, health emergencies, and conflicts, including as Chair of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue. Dr. Liu graduated from the ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï School of Medicine in Montreal in 1991 and did her pediatric specialty training at University of Montreal. She holds a Fellowship in Paediatric Emergency Medicine from New York University School of Medicine as well as an International Master’s in Health Leadership, also from ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï. Joanne.Liu [at] mcgill.ca (Joanne[dot]Liu[at]mcgill[dot]ca) |
| Dr. Prativa BaralDeputy Director of PERL and Assistant Professor, Department of Global and Public HealthDr. Baral is an Infectious Disease Epidemiologist and Global Health Scholar whose work examines how health systems can prepare for and respond to crises, with a focus on public trust in science and misinformation, surge capacity during emergencies, and improving data infrastructure. She has advised governments around the world as well as institutions including the World Health Organization, World Bank, United Nations, the Gates Foundation, and OpenAI on global health and health emergency preparedness. She holds a PhD from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Prativa.Baral [at] mcgill.ca (Prativa[dot]Baral[at]mcgill[dot]ca) |
| Dr. Veasna DuongResearch AssociateVirologist with 20 years of experience working on endemic and emerging arboviruses and zoonotic viruses. Dr. Duong began his career at the Institut Pasteur du Cambodge (IPC) in 2005 and earned his PhD in Montpellier, France in 2011. He was appointed Deputy Head of the Virology Unit in 2014 and became Head of the Unit in 2020. With great experience in arbovirus epidemiology and zoonotic virus emergence, Dr. Duong has contributed to strengthening capacities in Cambodia and the region through research leadership, training, and international collaboration. Vaesna.Duong [at] mcgill.ca (Veasna[dot]Duong[at]mcgill[dot]ca) |
| Dr. Miranda BainPost-Doctoral ResearcherGlobal Health Policy and Systems Researcher whose work examines the political and power dynamics shaping health equity with a focus on marginalized health issues and crises, gender, and the governance of care systems. Dr. Bain has contributed to multi-country studies on sexual violence against children, Indigenous systems of care in the United States, gender data collection technologies in Colombia and Uganda, and abortion policymaking across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. She worked with organizations including the World Health Organization, Ipas, UNHCR, and the Women’s Refugee Commission. Miranda.Bain [at] mcgill.ca (Miranda[dot]Bain[at]mcgill[dot]ca) |
| Dr. Al-Amin (Al) AhamedResearch Assistant, UofT PharmD '24 and ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï MPP '25Health equity–driven practitioner working at the intersection of pharmacy, biopharmaceutical innovation, and public policy. He is currently the Medical Operations and Transformation Resident at Sanofi, an AI-powered global biopharma company, where he supports the Medcal Affairs governance and operations, contributing to the development and execution of Canada-wide medical initiatives. Al’s experience spans harm reduction, health systems organizations, and community innovation. Al-Amin.Ahamed [at] mcgill.ca (Al-Amin[dot]Ahamed[at]mcgill[dot]ca) |
| Zhida ShangResearch Assistant, ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï MDCM StudentResearch interests include global health governance and pandemic preparedness, with expertise in qualitative and Delphi research methodologies. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he was among the first to examine the experiences of Asian Canadians and Asian Americans, contributing to early scholarship on equity and lived experience during public health crises. He is also a policy commentator, with work published in internationally recognized outlets including Harvard Business Review and The Globe and Mail. Zhida.Shang [at] mcgill.ca (Zhida[dot]Shang[at]mcgill[dot]ca) |
| Bianca MammarellaResearch Assistant, ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï MPP '25Bianca Mammarella is a recent graduate of ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï’s Masters in Public Policy. Prior to her masters, she graduated from McMaster's Integrated Science (iSci) program. Bianca’s research interests lie in global health, emergency first response, electrophysiology, and veteran health. Bianca is passionate about integrating research findings into advocacy by strengthening knowledge translation, bridging the gap between evidence and real-world application to inform decision-making, shape policy, and improve outcomes. |
| Keith Andre BaybayonCommunications AssistantKeith is a U2 student at ºÚÁÏÍø±¬³Ô¹Ï studying political science and religion. He has contributed to policy research and knowledge mobilization across government, civil society, and academic settings, including work with the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario, the Media Ecosystem Observatory, Egale Canada, and grassroots policy organizations in India. He has supported initiatives on youth engagement and public accountability, produced research briefs and explainer materials, and managed stakeholder communications. He is a McCall MacBain International Fellow who has contributed to youth-led policy initiatives at the United Nations and Canadian advisory bodies, bringing youth perspectives to discussions on trust and governance. |