We train graduate students to tackle global health crises. Are you a future One Health leader? Applications close November 30. Application Portal We are no longer accepting applications for the 2026 OHAP trainee cohort. Applications for the 2027 OHAP trainee cohort will open in Fall 2026. Applications may also be submitted as video or audio recordings containing the same information requested below. Recorded applications must be sent by email to the Associate Director . If you have any accessibility concerns that might impact your ability to complete your application or would like to request a deadline extension for circumstances out of your control, please contact the Associate Director before the deadline to discuss possible accommodations. Assessment Criteria Applications to the OHAP program are reviewed by a committee typically composed of our Co-Applicants and Collaborators. The committee evaluates candidates based on the following qualities: A co-supervisor in government or industry; A collaborative or interdisciplinary partnership in academia, government or industry; An academic or professional background in a One Health field; A project with clearly defined goals that would advance One Health in Canada; Clear career goals that will be directly advanced by their participation in OHAP; and Academic excellence (e.g. superior grades, publications, awards, etc.). Our program is meant to span two years for Master's students and three years for PhD students so, w ith few exceptions, eligibility is limited to students who will be entering the first year of a thesis-based graduate program (Master's or PhD) . If you have already begun studying but have extended or plan to extend your degree, please explain this under the Extenuating Circumstances section of your Supporting Document. In addition to the listed criteria, Indigenous applicants are strongly prioritized. If you have any questions regarding the application process or our assessment procedures, please contact the Associate Director . Personal Information Given Name Surname Personal Phone Number Preferred Name Preferred Pronouns Student Email Mailing Address I am First Nation, Métis, or Inuk (Inuit) How did you hear about OHAP? Your answer helps us reach new students Program Information If you have not yet been admitted to your academic program, please provide your expected information (for example, the date you would be admitted to your degree). If any information is not yet available (for example, your Student ID), you can enter N/A. If your application is successful, you will need to contact the Associate Director to provide updated information, when available. Program Type Select your program School Select your university Tuition Status Select your status If you were admitted in this academic term or earlier, please include plans to complete our program before graduation in your Supporting Document (see below) . Degree Admission Date * required Student ID Your degree program must broadly relate to at least one aspect of One Health (e.g. human, animal, or environmental health). Degree Details Supervisor's Name OHAP strongly encourages participation in collaborative projects. While not mandatory, students who have secured an internship or research placement in a government or industrial lab as part of their project will be prioritized. Proposed Co-Supervisor Provide your cumulative GPA (CGPA) as it appears on your transcript. Extenuating circumstances impacting your GPA can be explained in your application document. Self-Reported GPA Unofficial Transcript Upload Your Transcript Upload supported file (Max 15MB) Please follow the guidelines for supporting documents (see below) Supporting Document Upload File Upload supported file (Max 15MB) Academic CV Upload Your CV Upload supported file (Max 15MB) Estimate any additional funding you expect to receive from other sources, like grants or awards, not including employment income or stipend matching by your supervisor. This amount will not impact your application but may impact your stipend offer. See our Funding page for more information. Additional Funding See our Funding page to determine which category you should apply under. Funding Category Choose an option Apply Now Thank you for applying! Please check your inbox for a message confirming that we've received your application. Supporting Document Guidelines For text-based applications, submitted through our application portal, please upload your supporting documents in PDF or Word (.docx) format. For readability, we encourage the use of 12-point font, Times New Roman or equivalent, and 1.5 line spacing. Introduce Yourself (Approx. 250 words) Provide an overview of your educational background. List post-secondary institutions that you have attended along with degrees obtained. What in your background led you to the study of infectious diseases or One Health? Describe why you would like to pursue a graduate degree with the supervisor you have chosen. Partnership, if applicable (Approx. 250 words) List all academic, government, and industry partners involved in your project and describe any experiments taking place in your partner organizations’ facilities. Describe any partner’s funding contributions. Extenuating Circumstances (Optional) Please explain any extenuating circumstances that may have impacted their academic performance. If you have already begun your studies, please use this section to explain how you intend to complete the full length of our program before your graduation. Our admissions committee will consider these circumstances when evaluating your application. References Use this section to provide a list of your most relevant literature references. Do not refer readers to websites for additional information on your proposal. Do not introduce hyperlinks in your list of references. Project Goals (Approx. 500 words) Provide a brief background of the project to be undertaken as part of your current graduate program. List your hypothesis and overarching objectives. Describe the potential benefit of your project to Canada. How the expected outcomes will benefit Canada from a One Health perspective. Your proposed supervisor is encouraged to collaborate with you in writing this portion of the application. Career Goals (Approx. 250 words) Outline your career goals and how specific OHAP training activities will help you accomplish them. Describe the contributions you wish to make to Canadian and Global Health throughout your career. PI Statement and Signature Your supervisor must read and sign your application document before submission. Their signature must be accompanied by a statement indicating that the supervisor agrees to mentor and advise the applicant and provide matching stipend funds from existing research grants, which, at minimum, double the stipend provided by the OHAP program (excluding Indigenous applicants).

The OHAP program provides successful applicants with renewable stipends for the duration of their training, recognizing the financial barriers to collaboration with industry and government. One Health, One Year A look back at OHAP's first year in action. From the moment our funding was received in May 2023, One Health Against Pathogens was taken from a grant proposal to a full-scale experiential training program in only four months. From the beginning, our first year in operation was lovingly known as our "learning year" — our opportunity to adjust and refine our activities to reflect the realities of running a multi-year, multi-million dollar training program spanning four major universities. Though it was not without its hiccups, our first year was also a time of great success. We developed a meaningful visual identity and robust web platform, delivered on all of our major programming, and attracted partnerships from the Smithsonian Institution to the highest rungs of the federal government. As a testament to our continued dedication to learning and improving, an exhaustive report and recommendations were prepared, outlining our plans to grow our programming, internal organization, communications, outreach, and recruitment. This report was largely based on the feedback and suggestions of our first cohort of trainees. We thank them for their endless patience, encouragement, and understanding. Here you can read our full Feedback Report and Recommendations Year One by the Numbers A snapshot of our first year, detailing our progress in recruitment and programming. Recruitment Our first cohort counted 17 students, with 13 more recruited for the 2024 cohort. An unexpected abundance of non-stipend and priorly funded applicants means we will likely be able to exceed our recruitment quotas, offering more opportunities to interested students than we initially hoped for. Skill Development Studios 11 skill development studios were offered throughout 2023-2024, with 86% average participation. Non-Academic Mentorships For our first cohort, 100% of our trainees were paired with non-academic mentors from the public sector. These mentors meet with trainees regularly to help guide their professional paths, exposing them to careers outside of academia. 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. Policy Solutions Three teams of our PhD trainees were asked to propose policy solutions to the following 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? 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 Student Spotlight Highlighting trainees who went above and beyond in their first year. Taylor Volappi Trainee Representative to our Steering Committee Cody Koloski Virtual Discussion Forum Organizer ☆ Perfect Attendance ☆ Gillian Cameron Audrey Corbeil Rafael Fernandes Ferreira Natalia Lorenc

Back Christopher Fernandez Prada, PhD Molecular Parasitology Professeur agrégé, Département de pathologie et microbiologie, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal Christopher Fernandez-Prada (CFP) is an Associate Professor at Université de Montréal and Director of their Animal Parasitology Diagnostic Laboratory of UdeM. CFP’s research is focused on the study of drug resistant parasites and the biological roles of their extracellular vesicles in genetic exchange and host-parasite interactions. Moreover, CFP lab is interested in the mode of action of novel antiparasitic agents, the discovery of novel biomarkers (with a focus on drug resistance and asymptomatic carrier state) and the development of alternative tools to control and manage protozoan parasites in a One Health approach. His lab is currently supported by the CIHR, NSERC, CFI, FRQNT and the J.-Louis Lévesque Foundation. Learn More

Back Lawrence Goodridge, PhD Food-borne Pathogen Dynamics Professor, Department of Food Science, Ontario Agricultural College, University of Guelph Dr. Lawrence Goodridge, is a Full Professor and Canada Research Chair in Foodborne Pathogen Dynamics in the Department of Food Science at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada. He is also the Director of Guelph’s Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety. Dr. Goodridge applies genomics to study foodborne bacterial pathogens and antibiotic resistance within a One Health context. This objective is being achieved by combining phenotypic and genotypic (phenogenomics) methods to develop predictive models of virulence in foodborne pathogens. Specific research studies in support of the main objective include identifying mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in bacteria, including the role that mobile genetic elements play in the spread of genetic determinants of antibiotic resistance and virulence amongst bacteria. Other research interests include identifying new antimicrobial compounds to control the growth of pathogenic bacteria, and the development genomic approaches for rapid detection of foodborne and waterborne bacterial and viral pathogens. Learn More

Back Qian (Vivian) Liu, PhD Viral Zoonoses Assistant Professor, Institute of Parasitology, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University Zoonotic diseases (zoonoses) are infectious diseases that originate from animals and subsequently infect humans. RNA viruses are the primary etiological agents of human emerging pathogens, occupying up to 44% of all emerging human diseases. Paramyxoviruses are negative-stranded RNA viruses with great zoonotic potential. Members include established human pathogens (e.g. Measles virus) and emerging deadly zoonotic viruses (e.g. Nipah and Hendra viruses). My lab is interested in understanding the infection and transmission of zoonotic viruses in humans and animals. Specifically, we study the mechanisms of virus entry and assembly and how viruses hijack and/or evade host factors during these processes. By combining super-resolution imaging, novel fluorescence labelling, and optogenetic tools, we provide precise structural and behavioural information to dissect virus-host interactions during viral infection and transmission. Our research sheds light on novel antiviral development. Learn More

Back Emily Jenkins, DVM, PhD Parasitic Zoonoses Professor, Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan Dr. Emily Jenkins is a Professor in the Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, at the University of Saskatchewan, in Saskatoon, Canada. Her research takes a One Health approach to diseases that transmit among animals and people via food, water, vectors, and the environment. She has graduated over 50 undergraduate research and graduate students and produced over 120 peer-reviewed publications. She co-leads the University of Saskatchewan One Health Signature Area, serves as a Canadian representative to the Terrestrial Working Group of the International Arctic Science Committee, and sits on the Canadian Parasitology Expert Panel. Learn More

Back Maarten Voordouw, PhD Parasitology, Disease Ecology Assistant Professor, Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan Dr. Maarten Voordouw is an Associate Professor in the Department of Veterinary Microbiology at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Saskatchewan. The causative agent of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi , often consists of many genetically distinct strains. One of my main research interests is understanding how this strain diversity is maintained in nature. Our research is currently focused on three topics: Variation in host tissue abundance, transmission, and pathology among strains of B. burgdorferi ; Ability of maternal antibodies to protect offspring from infection with B. burgdorferi ; and Multiple-strain infections and interactions between strains in the host or tick vector. Learn More

Our Trainees Health agencies at all levels of government recognize the importance of One Health training in monitoring and containing FWVZ pathogens in Canada and around the world. Scientists with experience in public policy are equally in demand in private industry as they navigate the regulatory frameworks for new drugs and diagnostic tests. To stop the transmission of FWMZ pathogen transmission, scientists must learn to effectively communicate facts and evidence with the public, media, and policymakers. Our trainees are One Health-minded scientists with the skills needed to navigate complex social and political landscapes and support the development of regulations to manage global health crises. Our Universities All Brock University McGill University University of Guelph University of Saskatchewan Université de Montréal Cohorts All 2023 2024 2025 Programs All MSc PhD 2024 Hesham Adam Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan Lyme disease is an emerging tick-borne disease in Canada and is caused by Borrelia burgdorferi . This spirochete resides in the skin of the vertebrate host. I will explore the impact of B. burgdorferi on the bacterial microbiome in the skin of mice and the ticks that feed on these mice. 2024 Melika Amoueian Institute of Parasitology, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University I have recently graduated from the University of Tehran with a Bachelor's degree in microbiology, and my research interests revolve around investigating the interactions between hosts and parasites, particularly viruses like Nipah. Currently, my project is focused on exploring the antiviral mechanisms of IFITMs against NiV. 2025 Sienna Brennan-Raab Department of Plant Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University My research focuses on understanding how environmental factors, like increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) levels, can affect crop resilience. I will be investigating the effects on pathogen virulence and identifying pathogen-resistant bean genotypes. This insight into agricultural productivity and sustainability is vital for addressing current and future food security challenges. 2025 Laurianne Bédard Département de sciences biologiques, Faculté des arts et des sciences, Université de Montréal Aiming to develop accessible and effective nature-based solutions, I investigate the potential of treatment wetlands—harnessing plant-microorganism interactions—for water purification. My PhD research addresses the global antimicrobial resistance crisis by evaluating an innovative wastewater management practice in colder climates and assessing its impacts on both ecosystem and human health 2023 Gillian Cameron Department of Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University Gillian’s PhD thesis focuses on how copper affects the pathogen Legionella pneumophila . Her research aims to characterize the environmental conditions and mutations that lead to the emergence of copper resistance in L. pneumophila and examine the efficacy of using copper in Legionella control. 2024 Kirsten Campbell Institute of Parasitology, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University Kirsten graduated with a BSc in Microbiology and Chemistry from the University of Victoria. Her Master's thesis focuses on placental malaria and the role extracellular vesicles play in the disease. Her research aims to uncover vital biomarkers to provide early diagnosis and to discover novel host defence mechanisms. 2025 Sarah Clarke Department of Integrative Biology, College of Biological Science, University of Guelph My research focuses on the development of novel methods for the isolation, identification, and characterization of food-borne pathogens. My PhD work will investigate the genomic and phenotypic factors that facilitate the persistence of pathogenic bacteria in low-moisture foods, which will then be leveraged to develop genomic characterization pipelines used in part to perform risk assessment of strains identified through regulatory monitoring programs. 2023 Audrey Corbeil Département de Pathologie et Microbiologie, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal My PhD thesis interests revolve around extracellular vesicles (EVs), with a focus on the protozoan parasite Leishmania . My project aims to characterize this parasite and their EVs in the context of drug resistance and RNAi pathway modifications to gain a better understanding of their influence on parasite-parasite and parasite-vector interactions. 2025 Zoé Cros Department of Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University I am researching how environmental factors shape the gut microbiome and disease resilience in trout. By comparing wild and farmed trout microbiota, I aim to understand how microbial diversity impacts infection resistance. This research could help reduce antibiotic overuse in aquaculture, lowering the risk of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). 2025 Sarah Dickson Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, School of Population and Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University Sarah Dickson is a recent graduate of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, where she obtained her MSc in Epidemiology. Her research focused on using mathematical modelling to examine how conflict scenarios impact the risk of measles transmission in Gaza, Palestine. She is looking forward to beginning her PhD, which will examine the feasibility of control mechanisms to detect zoonotic leaps of H5N1 into high-risk agricultural populations and halt eventual transmission chains to densely populated areas. 2025 Khardjatou Marianne Djigo Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, School of Population and Global Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University Dengue and malaria pose significant public health burdens in regions like Colombia, where they are endemic. To inform the development of more effective, equity grounded disease-control strategies, my M.Sc. thesis aims to assess determinants of co-infection and co-occurrence of these diseases, using integrated clinical, socio-economic, climatic, and entomological data. 2023 Sarah Donald Department of Food Science, Ontario Agricultural College, University of Guelph Sarah is a MSc candidate whose research project focuses on natural products, with an interest in antimicrobials that are encoded by biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs). Sarah’s project involves BGCs located on large plasmids found in actinomycetes, specifically BGCs on plasmids which contain prophage regions. 2025 Ethan Done Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, College of Arts and Science, University of Saskatchewan Ethan graduated with a BSc in Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Saskatchewan. His research aim is to develop deployable diagnostic technologies that allow anyone to diagnose disease in plants, animals, and humans at the point of sample collection. 2023 Ivan Drahun Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Mathematics and Science, Brock University My doctoral work investigates the vector competence of mosquito species, both native and invasive to Canada; specifically, their capability for infection with arthropod-borne viruses (e.g., West Nile and Zika viruses). I am also exploring the use of insect-specific viruses as a means of vector control and arbovirus transmission reduction. 2023 Rafael Fernandes Ferreira Département de Pathologie et Microbiologie, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal I investigated, in my masters, and I’m currently working on phenotypic differences in Leishmania resistance to drugs. I aspire working as a researcher within institutes, organizations, universities, or the pharmaceutical industry, with the aim of advancing the development of improved strategies for the treatment and control of infections. 2023 Alexandra Foley-Eby Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan I focus on maternally transmitted strain-specific immunity in mice, against the Lyme disease bacterium. Immunology in Lyme has become a passion of mine as it pertains to prevention, diagnostics, treatment, and monitoring. For my future, I want to include more veterinary expertise, experience, and data in discussions, as well as prioritize patient-driven research. 2023 Paul Glenn Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University Paul evaluates the effect of disinfectants on the transfer of antibiotic resistance from bacteria present on food to Salmonella enterica . He aims to test disinfectants and surface sanitizers that are commonly used in the food industry to guide the regulation of these compounds and reduce the spread of antibiotic resistance. 2025 Jessica Hainault Département de Pathologie et Microbiologie, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal Jessica graduated from UQTR with a BSc in biological and ecological sciences. She is currently pursuing a master's degree, with her research focusing on the effect of white-tailed deer abundance on tick-borne diseases and the ecological parameters that modulate this relationship, employing a One Health approach. 2024 Yihan He Institute of Parasitology, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University My research work focuses on developing smart “lab-on-chip” microfluidic platform for rapid and accurate detection of foodborne pathogens, ensuring the production of safe and high-quality food for consumers. 2025 Leslie Herrera Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University As part of my project with the CFP lab and the Langlais lab team, I am exploring how DR and DS parasites, along with their extracellular vesicles, modulate host immune cells 2025 Alice Hou Department of Human Genetics, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University My research focuses on characterizing a severe dengue mouse model for preclinical vaccine testing. I analyze DENV-specific CD8+ T cells and host-pathogen interactions to better understand severe disease mechanisms and contribute to global dengue prevention strategies. 2023 Yuxin Hu Department of Food Science, Ontario Agricultural College, University of Guelph After recently graduating from McGill University with BSc in Food Science and BSc in Nutritional Science, I am starting my graduate studies at University of Guelph. My graduate work will be centered on food safety and microbiology, with a focus on bacteriophages. 2023 Fiona Hui Institute of Parasitology, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University My research interest centers around the dynamic interactions among host microbiomes, their metabolomic profiles, and environmental exposures (including food, pathogens, drugs and other chemicals). We focus on utilizing computational approaches to analyze big data and to gain insights into their complex relationships. 2023 Cody Koloski Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan My interests include insect and arthropod vectors (ticks and mosquitoes), and the pathogens they harbor. My prior work characterized the molecular mechanisms of tick repellents. Presently, I devote my research to unraveling the complexities of superinfections of Borrelia burgdorferi in mice and subsequent transmission to feeding ticks. 2024 Marie Zoé Lapierre Department of Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University As an MSc candidate, Marie Zoé studies the phenomenon of loss of resistance in Leishmania infantum by generating revertant strains. Her research will allow us to evaluate the ability of the revertant parasites to survive in different hostile conditions and the presence of medication. 2024 Pierre-Luc Longchamps Department of Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University My research interests focus on bacterial dormancy states in the food supply chain, particularly in Campylobacter jejuni . I want to investigate how bacteria enter and exit dormancy states such as the viable but nonculturable (VBNC) and antibiotic persistent state to survive in the agri-food chain and how they contribute to biofilm formation and persistence 2023 Natalia Lorenc Department of Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University Natalia’s project focuses on antimicrobial resistance in Canadian aquaculture. She's working on identifying antibiotic resistant bacteria in aquatic food production and investigating the transfer pathways of antibiotic resistant genes in the food supply chain. Natalia’s research aims to develop intervention strategies to preserve the effectiveness of antimicrobials used in Canada. 2023 Yuxiao Lu Department of Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University My research interests center on the development of a microfluidic “lab-on-a-chip” device that couples isothermal amplification method for specific and rapid detection of foodborne pathogens during fresh produce processing. We currently focus on developing a microfluidic device coupled recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) with lateral flow assay (LFA) to screen norovirus in real food samples. 2025 Shamsuddeen Yusuf Ma'aruf School of Public Health, College of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, University of Saskatchewan Tuberculosis (TB) is a bacterial infection that can affect both animals and humans. My PhD research is aim at addressing antimicrobial resistance in Mycobacteria by developing immunotherapeutic adjuvants in synergy with antibiotics. Personally, I am also involved in teaching, research, and advocacy for one-digital-health framework in various youth-lead organizations. 2023 Cody Malone Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan Cody’s PhD work is on the zoonotic food-borne parasite, Trichinella , in the North American North. Cody aims to characterize the newly discovered species, T. chanchalensis , and to provide meaningful information that those in the North can use to make informed decisions about the infection risk of consuming wild carnivores and omnivores. 2025 Supun Manathunga Division of Clinical and Translational Research, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University My research is focused on integrated Bayesian probabilistic modeling and risk-based simulation for spatiotemporal prediction of West Nile virus and optimization of public health interventions 2023 Giuliana Matta Institute of Parasitology, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University Giuliana recently graduated with a Bachelors in Life Sciences. She hopes to expand her knowledge on viruses and learn how they invade host cells. Her graduate studies focus on the Nipah Virus host cell attachment and budding, specifically the actin cytoskeleton's function in the M protein. Ultimately, Giuliana believes there is much more to discover in this complicated field. 2024 Kira Mudrey Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan My research interests center around the management of zoonotic infections in wildlife species. My current work focuses on developing rapid and lab-independent molecular diagnostic methods for Brucella abortus (Brucellosis) infection in wild bison, which will support wood bison conservation efforts in Canada. 2024 Salomé Plat Department of Food Science, Ontario Agricultural College, University of Guelph Recently graduated with a MSc in Molecular Microbiology, I am starting a PhD program at the University of Guelph. The aim of my PhD project is to develop a solution to inhibit the survival and propagation of antibiotic-resistant Salmonella strains with an approach based on phage- encoded sequences in combination with natural antimicrobial compounds. 2025 Jonathan Rekve College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan I specialize in nanomedicine and synchrotron-based drug system design, focusing on neuronal reprogramming by converting astrocytes into induced neurons to treat neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and epilepsy. This approach also addresses the neurological effects of fever, vector-borne, and zoonotic (FWVZ) pathogens, including Zika virus, offering potential therapeutic strategies for infection-related neurodegeneration. 2025 Lishita Rowjee Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph Having graduated with a BSc in Biomedical Sciences and a microbiology minor from the University of Guelph, I am starting my MSc in Pathobiology. My research will focus on investigating susceptibility profiles of veterinary Microsporum canis isolates across North America to determine whether they are growing resistant to antifungals. 2024 Ben Sakdinan Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University Vibrio cholerae is a waterborne pathogen that causes the severe diarrheal disease, cholera. This project aims to track phage:V. cholerae ratios over time in cholera patients to establish causal relationships, and develop and validate a predictive model of cholera disease severity based on the phage:V. cholerae ratio. 2024 Kyle Story Department of Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University My project is an examination of the pathogenicity of polar microbes collected from Mars and icy moon analogue sites in the high arctic. This research is part of a larger planetary protection study designed to prepare for the Mars Sample Return mission proposed for the early 2030’s. 2024 Parichay Raj Subedi Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan I am a veterinarian and MSc candidate studying antimicrobial resistance in Trueperella pyogenes , a pathogen prevalent in livestock infections. My research focuses on characterizing the antimicrobial susceptibility of T. pyogenes isolates, utilizing genome sequencing to identify genetic determinants of resistance, and enhancing antimicrobial stewardship practices. 2024 Jinha Suh Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University My research focuses on the differences in gut microbiota between Singaporean wild red junglefowl and Canadian domestic chickens. The goal of my project is to establish a culture collection of potential probiotic candidates that could help in treating key pathogenic diseases within the poultry industry. 2025 Irelynd Tackabury Department of Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University My research involves collaboration between OHAP, the CFIA, and the GRDI-AMR-One-Health project. I am investigating the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) in bacteria capable of producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamases, including carbapenemases, found on ready-to-eat food commodities. I focus on ARGs within mobile genetic elements and their transmission to pathogenic strains. 2023 Taylor Volappi Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan Research involving the unexplored intricate interactions between hosts and parasites has always been my passion. My planned work centers around elucidating the infection ecology of Echinococcus multilocularis within its various hosts in Western Canada, and using laboratory techniques to determine the pathogenicity of the various strains located here. 2024 Amanda Williams Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Mathematics and Science, Brock University To date, my research has investigated the interactions of arthropod-borne viruses in host cells as well as the susceptibility of mosquitoes to viral infection. My doctoral research seeks to characterize Caribbean mosquito species, and the viruses that infect them, with applications in public health and vector control. 2025 Suhao Yin Department of Food Science, Ontario Agricultural College, University of Guelph As part of my MSc position in Food Science, I am working on a project focused on developing a novel hydroxyl-radical process for inactivating enteric viruses on fresh and frozen soft fruits. This research aims to enhance food safety by optimizing antimicrobial treatments while maintaining product quality, with potential applications for commercial validation. 2025 Yarina You Department of Natural Resource Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University Yarina’s research focuses on the economic impacts of foodborne antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Canada, examining how agricultural practices and policy interventions affect public health. She aims to use economic modelling to inform evidence-based strategies that mitigate AMR risks and advance sustainable agricultural systems.

Our Collaborators Our wide pool of academic and non-academic collaborators contribute to the OHAP program through guest lectures, training in Studios, planning and implementing our Policy Challenges, speaking in our Forums, and mentoring our trainees. Some have also expressed interest in hosting interns, giving critical public-sector experience to our trainees. Marie Breton, PhD Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Food Directorate, Health Canada Dr. Marie Breton is the Section Head of the Standard Setting Section, developing policies to minimize food risks, advising consumers on food practices, and evaluating microbiological methods. Recent work includes the revision of HC’s Listeria Policy (2023), risk analysis for Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC), and microbiological criteria review for the Food and Drugs Act and Regulations. Aime Brown, DVM Animal Health Strategic Planning and Research Section, Canadian Food Inspection Agency Climate change risks are complex and interconnected, and impacts can propagate through natural and human systems in ways that are difficult to anticipate. My interest is to study these interconnections through a One Health approach that collaboratively incorporates Indigenous knowledge to better equip Canada to anticipate, prevent and respond to complex challenges. Catherine Carrillo, PhD Science Branch, Canadian Food Inspection Agency Dr. Carrillo's research program is focused on the application of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) technologies for the detection, identification and characterization of foodborne bacterial pathogens. Dr. Carrillo currently leads the sequencing component of the interdepartmental Genomics Research and Development Initiative project on antimicrobial resistance (GRDI-AMR). Maud Carron, DVM, MSc, PhD Animal Health Risk Assessment & Intelligence Section, Canadian Food Inspection Agency I work on intersectoral risk assessments topics, such as HPAI pandemic and human health risks. I was involved in developing OH capacity-building frameworks with the World Organisation for Animal Health/World Health Organization and in projects related to climate change and animal health. Angela Catford, MASc Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Food Directorate, Health Canada Angela is the Section Head of the Health Risk Assessment Section, assessing microbial contaminants in food and identifying their risk to human health. This section supports the management of food safety incidents and completes risk analysis projects, monitoring food safety intelligence signals and emerging issues and analysing Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). Brent Dixon, PhD Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Food Directorate, Health Canada Dr. Brent Dixon is a research scientist in the Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Food Directorate, Health Canada. His research focuses on the detection and molecular characterization of food-borne parasites. His laboratory uses a variety of technologies for concentrating and detecting these parasites in foods, as well as in environmental and clinical samples. Mélissa Duplessis, PhD Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Dr. Duplessis is a research scientist in smart and sustainable dairy production, with a special focus in B-vitamin and trace mineral nutrition, based at the Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre. Through a One Health approach, her research program aims to develop knowledge for sustainable dairy production and cow and calf health optimization, helping dairy nutritionists and producers. Shannon French, PhD Animal Health Strategic Planning and Research Section, Canadian Food Inspection Agency My interest is in the geographic and environmental epidemiology of pathogens like HPAI that exist at the interface of domestic animals and wildlife, particularly those with zoonotic potential. Understanding the affects of anthropogenic environmental change can help to prepare Canadians for novel, emerging and expanding diseases moving forward. Alexander Gill, PhD Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Health Canada I head the Verotoxigenic Escherichia coli (VTEC) laboratory at BMH. My research areas include the development of methods for the detection of VTEC in food samples, VTEC virulence genes, the potential for VTEC to survive in foods, and decontamination technologies. Jessica P. Gillung, PhD Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University My research focuses on the evolution, ecology, and natural history of insects. My lab has pioneered a data-driven and specimen-focused approach to increase our knowledge of insect biology and develop tools to understand the mechanisms underlying the maintenance and loss of insect biodiversity. Hongsheng Huang, PhD Ottawa Laboratory, Canadian Food Inspection Agency Dr. Hongsheng Huang’s research mainly focuses on the development of methods for the detection and molecular characterization of food-borne bacterial pathogens, and antimicrobial resistance genes in food and environment. His lab uses various approaches including bacterial isolation, molecular and immunological detection and genomic characterization. Steven Leadbeater, MSc St. Andrews Biological Station, Fisheries and Oceans Canada Lead Biologist on the aquatic animal health program with Fisheries and Oceans Canada in New Brunswick. Currently collaborating with research team with Agriculture and Agri-foods Canada (AAFC) and industry on improving disease resilience of farmed Atlantic salmon and mitigation of antimicrobial resistance in through One Health approach, including the use of probiotics. Christine Liu, PhD Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Collaborate with Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) on improving disease resilience of Atlantic salmon and mitigation of antimicrobial resistance in Canadian finfish aquaculture through One Health approach, including the use of probiotics. Neda Nasheri, PhD Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Health Canada Neda is a research scientist and the head of the food virology laboratory at Health Canada. She is also an adjunct professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa. Her research interests and projects include detection, genomic characterization, and inactivation of foodborne viruses. Francisco Olea Popelka, PhD Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, Western University I was one of the main authors of the Zoonotic Tuberculosis Road Map, and continue to lead global efforts to control bovine, human, and zoonotic TB with multiple institutions globally. Since 2021, I have worked as part of the Asia Pacific Cities Alliance for Health and Development (APCAT), implementing a dog’s Rabies vaccination campaign in Bali, Indonesia. Patrick Owen, PhD Québec Network Environment for Indigenous Health Research Capacity Enhancement Coordinator for the Québec Network Environment for Indigenous Health Research, which aims to improve Indigenous Peoples' health through the assertion of Indigenous understandings of health, fostering innovative community-based and scientifically excellent research. Patrick is also a lecturer at the School of Nutrition, specializing in ethnobotany and evolutionary health. Franco Pagotto, PhD Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Health Canada Dr. Pagotto’s lab studies foodborne pathogens Listeria monocytogenes and Cronobacter sp. , including microbiological hazard identification and risk assessment, molecular typing and genomic characterization, and pathogenesis and virulence determinants. Dr. Pagotto is a PulseNet Canada steering committee member and Listeriosis Reference Centre for Canada co-director. Renée Petri, PhD Science and Technology Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Dr. Renée Petri is a research scientist working on the rumen microbiome and digestive system of livestock animals, based at the Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Dr. Petri's research program aims to improve dairy cattle health, nutrient utilization, and environmental performance by understanding and altering microbiome function. Reza Salavati, PhD Institute of Parasitology, McGill University The lab investigates gene regulation in trypanosomatid pathogens implicated in global health in response to environmental shifts like varying hosts. The primary objective is identifying therapeutic targets to mitigate these pathogens' adverse health impacts worldwide. Dor Salomon, PhD Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University My lab studies bacterial toxins and secretion systems, focusing on their effect on interbacterial interactions, anti-phage defenses, and virulence. We work on human, plant, and aquatic pathogens, such as Vibrio, Aeromonas, and Pantoea. Marilyn Scott, PhD Institute of Parasitology, McGill University We recently demonstrated that intestinal nematode infection of mice promotes earlier neurological development in uninfected offspring, and that prior exposure to a putative cue released by ectoparasite-infected guppies impedes Gyrodactylus spread. I also completed a review suggesting that host-helminth-environment interactions may increase resilience to environmental change. Jaswinder Singh, PhD Genome Editing for Food Security and Environmental Sustainability (GEFSES) NSERC-CREATE Program One of the century’s great challenges is to provide nutritional and sustainable foods to meet the demands of an expanding global population. My program lays the foundation for unique methods to identify biotic and abiotic stress-associated genes in cereals, capitalizing on modern genomics, biotechnology, and gene editing to develop next-generation climate-resilient crops. Neil Strand Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Food Directorate, Health Canada Neil is the Section Head of the Novel Foods Section, conducting pre-market assessment of novel foods and maintaining up-to-date guidance regarding novelty and safety assessments. Recent work includes updating Health Canada’s Guidelines for the Safety Assessment of Novel Foods to address innovations in plant breeding and ongoing work addressing food innovation in cellular agriculture. Traian Sulea, PhD Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, National Research Council Canada I lead the NRC’s Molecular Modelling Team with a current research focus on the design and optimization of innovative biologics and therapeutic antibodies against cancer, neurological disorders and infectious diseases. We develop and apply a wide array of molecular simulation and bioinformatics methods from classical mechanics to machine learning models. Sandeep Tamber, PhD Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Health Canada My research centers on bacterial pathogens and food safety. Specifically, I work with Salmonella and Vibrio species and study their behaviour in food and food production environments. The goal of my research is to advance standard setting, guidance and policy related to food safety. I have also have projects related to antimicrobial resistance and its role in food safety. Xin Zhao, PhD Department of Animal Science, McGill University The objective of my research program is to design, validate, and apply innovative approaches to improve the management of livestock in order to prevent and control disease. Specifically, we are working on the reduction of antibiotics usage in farm animals, antimicrobial resistance in bacteria of animal origins and bovine mastitis.

Our Steering Committee The OHAP Steering Committee is an autonomous group ensuring oversight and accountability. The Committee guides our strategic direction, assessing our training program to identify its strengths and weaknesses, determine if our goals are being met, and provide recommendations to continue improving our offerings year after year. The Committee is chaired by a recognized leader with experience in government, industry, policy, and academia. Members are appointed by the Program Director according to approved criteria and serve for the duration of the program. These members include experts in EDI and program evaluation alongside members representing Graduate Studies, research stakeholders, and racialized and Indigenous communities. The appointed members are joined by an elected trainee representative, chosen by their peers to serve two-year terms. The OHAP Program Director and Associate Director serve as additional non-voting advisors to the Committee. Lynda Asiko Bulimo, MA Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Advocate Equity Education Advisor, McGill University Lynda is an Equity Education Advisor (Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression Education) in the Equity Team at McGill University. Her work primarily focuses on developing and leading education-based initiatives for staff and faculty towards anti-racism and anti-oppression. Her research interests explore anti-Blackness, racism and mental health in higher education. Sean Quinlan, MSc, MBA Stakeholder Representative Food Safety Science Directorate, Canadian Food Inspection Agency Sean is the National Manager – Food Safety Research at the CFIA. He and his team are responsible for the management, oversight, and delivery of the CFIA’s food safety research program, which is focused on the development of methods for the detection, identification, and characterization of chemical and microbial hazards in food. Ethel LaValley Indigenous Representative Mayor, Township of South Algonquin Ethel LaValley is an Algonquin Elder of the Pikwakanagan First Nation. Ethel was elected to Council, becoming Mayor of the Township of South Algonquin, and serving four terms as Vice President of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario. She continues to be engaged as an Elder at traditional openings and gatherings and speaks on issues affecting Indigenous people. Genevieve Tanguay, PhD Committee Chair Office of the Chief Science Advisor of Canada Dr. Tanguay is Vice-Chief Science Advisor of Canada. She was the first woman Vice President Research at the National Research Council of Canada. Previously, she served as Vice-Rector Research at the University of Montreal and Assistant Deputy Minister for Research and Innovation in the Government of Québec. Throughout her career Dr. Tanguay has been recognised as a science policy leader both in Québec and in Canada. Josephine Nalbantoglu, PhD Graduate Studies Representative Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, McGill University Dr. Josephine Nalbantoglu is the Associate Provost (Graduate Education) and Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies of McGill University. Her research interests focus on the molecular genetics of Alzheimer's Disease, on the regulation of gene expression in the nervous system and on gene therapy for brain tumours. Taylor Volappi, MSc Trainee Representative OHAP CREATE Program Research involving the unexplored intricate interactions between hosts and parasites has always been my passion. My planned work centers around elucidating the infection ecology of Echinococcus multilocularis within its various hosts in Western Canada, and using laboratory techniques to determine the pathogenicity of the various strains located here.