The Policy Challenge
Each year, our collaborators and co-applicants assemble a unique case study based on real-world public health challenges involving FWVZ pathogens. These case studies form the basis of our Annual Policy Challenge, a year-long project culminating in a five-day retreat at the Gault Nature Reserve of McGill University, where we challenge our trainees, working in interdisciplinary teams, to pitch innovative policy solutions and outreach strategies to a panel of stakeholders across government and academia.
Our Third Annual Policy Challenge
For our Third Annual Policy Challenge, our Masters and PhD trainees joined forces in six unified teams, each tackling a unique public health question centred around the pressing topic of antimicrobial use and growing resistance. To learn more about the six challenge questions and the context behind them, check out our Participant's Guide. (Pictured below, attendees of the third annual retreat)
Policy Solutions
Six hybrid teams of Master's and PhD trainees were asked to propose policy briefs addressing the issue of rising antimicrobial resistance and related topics. You can read their proposals here.
Team 1:
Gillian Cameron,
Yihan He,
Natalia Lorenc,
Yuxiao Lu,
Jinha Suh,
and Suhao Yin
Building an Integrated National One Health Surveillance System for AMR and AMU in Canada
Team 2:
Sienna Brennan-Raab,
Sarah Dickson,
Ivan Drahun,
Alexandra Foley-Eby, Cody Koloski,
and Kira Mudrey
Opening the Canadian Market for the Expedited Approval of Antibiotics of Last Resort (ALR)
Team 3:
Marianne Djigo,
Alice Hou,
Fiona Hui,
Kyle Story,
Shamsuddeen
Yusuf Ma'aruf, and Supun Manathunga
How could Canada Improve Novel Antibiotic R&D Incentives?
Team 4: Rafael Fernandes Ferreira,
Jessica Hainault,
Leslie Herrera Guerrero,
Marie Zoé Lapierre,
Pierre-Luc Longchamps,
Salomé Plat, and
Ben Sakdinan
Team 5:
Hesham Adam,
Melika Amoueian,
Laurianne Bédard,
Kirsten Campbell,
Ethan Done,
Lishita Rowjee,
and Taylor Volappi
Why the Canadian Federal Government Should Not Encourage Delayed Prescriptions
Broad Spectrum Awareness:
Strengthening Public Knowledge on
Antimicrobial Resistance in Canada
Team 6:
Sarah Clarke,
Zoé Cros,
Jonathan Rekve,
Parichay Raj Subedi,
Irelynd Tackabury,
Yarina You, and
Alla Yushchenko
Regulating Environmental Contamination of AMs and ARGs Originating from Agricultural Practices
Our Second Annual Policy Challenge
For our Second Annual Policy Challenge, Masters and PhD trainees joined forces in four unified teams, each tackling a unique public health challenge, all centred around the increasingly focal issue of pathogen monitoring in wastewater. To learn more about the four challenge questions and the context behind them, check out our Participant's Guide. (Pictured below, attendees of the second annual retreat)
Policy Solutions
Four hybrid teams of Master's and PhD trainees were asked to propose policy briefs addressing the issue of wastewater monitoring for pathogens. You can read their proposals here.
Team 1: Evidence-Based Wastewater Surveillance: Guiding Municipal Policy for Public Health and Environmental Monitoring
Fiona Hui, Hesham Adam, Marie-Zoé Lapierre, Parichay Subedi, Rafael Fernandes Ferreira, Salomé Plat, and Sarah Donald
Team 2: Wastewater Monitoring of Incoming Aircraft at Canadian Ports of Entry
Alla Yushchenko, Ben Sakdinan, Cody Malone, Kyle Story, Paul Glenn, Pierre-Luc Longchamps, and Taylor Volappi
Team 3: The Identification of Cryptic Viral Lineages in Wastewater: Protecting the Privacy of Canadians in Wastewater Surveillance
Gillian Cameron, Giuliana Leonarda Matta, Jinha Suh, Melika Amoueian, Natalia Lorenc, Yihan He, and Yuxiao Lu
Team 4: Validation and Approval of Measles (Morbillivirus Hominis) Wastewater Monitoring Methods
Alexandra Foley-Eby, Amanda Williams, Cody Koloski, Ivan Drahun, Kira Mudrey, Kirsten Campbell, and Yuxin Hu
Our First Annual Policy Challenge
Our first Policy Challenge was a year-long activity, culminating in a week-long retreat hosted at McGill's Gault Nature Reserve. The event featured speakers from organizations like Health Canada, the Office of the Chief Science Advisor, and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, alongside prominent voices from academia.
The last day of the retreat was punctuated by final presentations from our PhD and Masters students, showing off their policy proposals and promotional media.
The Question
An effective human vaccine against Lyme disease has existed since the mid 1990's. However, the anti-vaccine movement and subsequent disappointing vaccine uptake led the manufacturer to discontinue its commercial production. Thousands of people are now needlessly suffering from Lyme disease and symptoms associated with post-Lyme disease. While new vaccines are currently in stage three clinical testing, some fear they may meet the same fate. What public policies need to be put in place in Canada to ensure access to safe and effective vaccines against Lyme disease for those who want to be immunized?
Policy Solutions
Three teams of our PhD trainees were asked to propose policy solutions addressing the issue of Lyme disease vaccinations. You can find the policy briefs they created to pitch their proposals here.
Lyme Disease Vaccine for Canadians: Policy Brief
Ivan Drahun, Alexandra Foley-Eby, Cody Koloski, & Yuxiao Lu
Lyme Disease Prevention: Enhancing Vaccine Access and Public Awareness Initiatives
Gillian Cameron, Fiona Hui, Natalia Lorenc, & Alla Yushchenko
Towards Trust: Policy Initiatives for Vaccine Confidence through Transparency and Education
Audrey Corbeil, Rafael Fernandes Ferreira, Cody Malone, & Taylor Volappi
Promotional Media
Our Masters' students were tasked with creating promotional media, with three students paired with PhD teams to promote their policy proposals and one student promoting Lyme awareness.
Promotional Media: Towards Trust
Giuliana Matta
Promotional Media: Lyme Disease Vaccine for Canadians
Sarah Donald
Promotional Media: Lyme Disease Prevention
Yuxin Hu
Promotional Media: Lyme Disease Awareness
Paul Glenn