To arrange an interview with any of these researchers, please contact:
media@covarrnet.ca

  • Ninan Abraham

    Abraham, Ninan, 

    PhD

    Director of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Indigeneity, CoVaRR-Net

    Professor, University of British Columbia
    Associate Dean, Equity and Diversity, University of British Columbia, Faculty of Science

    Expertise:

    Can answer questions about:

    Equity, diversity, inclusion, and Indigeniety. Immunity. Vaccines. Social and equitable policies. Equity aspects of research and pandemic response.

  • Banerjee, Arinjay, 

    PhD

    Deputy, Pillar 2, Host-Pathogen Interactions, CoVaRR-Net

    Early Career Investigator & Research Scientist, Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO)
    Adjunct Professor, University of Saskatchewan

    Expertise:

    Can answer questions about:

    Virus replication, evolution, transmission. Infection detection and tracing. Vaccines. Animal reservoirs and spread between animals and humans.

  • Stephen Barr

    Barr, Stephen, 

    PhD

    Deputy, Pillar 3, Virology, CoVaRR-Net

    Associate Professor, Western University

    Expertise:

    Can answer questions about:

    Virus replication, evolution, transmission, and severity. Measuring immune response to infection. Infection detection and tracing. Vaccines.

  • Betker, Claire, 

    RN, PhD, CCHN(C)

    Associate Director of Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Indigeneity, CoVaRR-Net

    Scientific Director of the National Collaborating Centre for Determinants of Health (NCCDH)

    Expertise:

    Can answer questions about:

    Public health. Equity, diversity inclusion, and indigeniety. Equity aspects of pandemic response.

  • Guillaume Bourque

    Bourque, Guillaume, 

    PhD

    Data Platform Associated Director, CoVaRR-Net

    Professor, McGill University
    Canada Research Chair in Computational Genomics and Medicine

    Expertise:

    Can answer questions about:

    Sequencing and identification of new variants. How collaborative and interconnected databases can improve and speed up pandemic response.

  • Brinkman, Fiona, 

    PhD, FRSC

    Deputy, Pillar 6, Computational Analysis, Modelling and Evolutionary Outcomes (CAMEO), CoVaRR-Net

    Distinguished Professor, Simon Fraser University

    Expertise:

    Can answer questions about:

    Viral variant evolution and surveillance, nationally and globally. Modelling and analyses of how different variant mutations could affect disease transmission, severity, or immunity.

  • Mark Brockman

    Brockman, Mark, 

    PhD

    Deputy, Pillar 1, Immunology & Vaccine Protection, CoVaRR-Net

    Professor, Simon Fraser University

    Expertise:

    Can answer questions about:

    How viruses cause disease. Disease severity. Immunity (particularly memory cells). How to measure immunity and vaccine response.

  • Melissa Brouwers

    Brouwers, Melissa, 

    PhD

    Co-Lead, Pillar 9, Knowledge, Implementation, and Training Team (KITT), CoVaRR-Net

    Professor and Director, School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa

    Expertise:

    Can answer questions about:

    How to analyze and synthesize the latest evidence. How to identify uncertainty in research data and methods.

  • Cheryl Camillo

    Camillo, Cheryl, 

    MPA, PhD

    Deputy, Pillar 8, Public Health, Health Systems & Social Policy Impacts, CoVaRR-Net

    Assistant Professor, Johnson Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy, University of Regina

    Expertise:

    Can answer questions about:

    Development, design, and implementation of health and social policies. Crisis management and governance.

  • Caron, Étienne, 

    PhD

    Deputy, Pillar 4, Functional Genomics & Structure-Function of Variants of Concern (VOCs), CoVaRR-Net

    Assistant Professor, Université de Montréal
    Director, Mass Spectrometry Platform, CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center

    Expertise:

    Can answer questions about:

    Immunity (particularly memory cells) and their interaction and response to variants and vaccines.

  • Caroline Colijn

    Colijn, Caroline, 

    PhD

    Deputy, Pillar 6, Computational Analysis, Modelling and Evolutionary Outcomes (CAMEO), CoVaRR-Net

    Professor, Simon Fraser University
    Canada 150 Research Chair in Mathematics for Infection, Evolution and Public Health

    Expertise:

    Can answer questions about:

    How models are used for projections in the pandemic. Why virus sequences are important for understanding the pandemic. The importance of linked data. How selection and evolution have shaped the pandemic.

  • Cooper, Curtis, 

    MD

    Biobank Clinical Associate Director, CoVaRR-Net

    Professor of Medicine, University of Ottawa
    Scientist, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute

    Expertise:

    Can answer questions about:

    How immunity is formed after viral infection. How banked biological samples can help us study and understand the effects of infection and vaccines (clinician).

To arrange an interview with any of these researchers, please contact:
media@covarrnet.ca