Our Team
Our research group includes dynamic individuals with varied backgrounds including computer science, mathematics and statistics, biochemistry, engineering, microbiology and immunology, nursing, environmental assessment, public health, occupational and environmental health and sociology. We are currently seeking creative, motivated and dedicated graduate students to contribute to our work.
Postdoctoral Fellows and Graduate Students
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Basant Elsiwi, MEng
Basant is a PhD student in Epidemiology. She holds a MEng in Chemical Engineering from McGill University. Her previous work focused on developing an environmentally-friendly, sustainable polymer additive that could potentially replace the toxic phthalates, which are commonly-used plasticizers. Basant has built her interest in environmental health sciences during her master's training as she was very curious to learn more about all the various methods that are used to measure and assess the effect of various environmental exposures on human health. For her thesis, she is investigating the effect of exposure to bisphenols, phthalates and flame retardants on fetal and neonatal growth. Basant likes to skate, travel and she enjoys exploring Montreal.
Chelsea Almadin
Chelsea is a Master’s in Public Health (MScPH) student at McGill University. She holds a BSc in Health Sciences (Population and Quantitative Health Emphasis) from Simon Fraser University. She is interested in the intersection of health and the environment. Her aim is to advance research on the exposures of environmental pollutants among vulnerable populations and to inform interventions to mitigate and prevent these exposures. With Dr. Chevrier, Chelsea is investigating the levels of exposures to chemicals, behavioural determinants of exposures, and potential health outcomes in Montréal firefighters. In her spare time, Chelsea likes to travel, write poetry, find new additions to her plant family, and try new recipes!
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Staff
All South African staff working on the VHEMBE study are members of the local community where the study is conducted. Most staff members have worked for the study since its inception in 2012.
Vhuli Obida, RN
Vhuli is the VHEMBE Field Coordinator and our master problem-solver. She is a registered nurse who worked at Tshilidzini Hospital for many years before joining the world of research.
Edzani Ligudu
Edzani is a real multitasker. She is a study interviewer but she also tracks participants, processes samples and administers neurodevelopmental assessments.
Winnie MulaudziWinnie schedules appointments and tracks participants. She regularly travels to the villages to find unreachable participants and has an impressive track record in finding them. She shares the palm with Colbert for humorist of the group.
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Grace Bulannga
Grace is a study interviewer. She is always prepared to help, ready to work and is particularly efficient with her time. She also is a talented singer.
Colbert Maombe
Colbert is our data entry and quality control expert. He also collects air pollution samples and is always ready to help with tasks that require his attention, including when the time comes to lighten the mood!
Louisa Ramagwedzha, RN
Louisa is a registered nurse with years of experience in the South African military. For the project, she collects blood samples from participants and abstracts medical records. Louisa is meticulous and is the quiet and wise voice of the group.
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Salphina Chauke
Sally is our laboratory coordinator. She processes all samples and is an expert in isolating peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). She maintains records and ensures samples are stored in proper conditions. She is organized, precise and methodical.
Lydia Masiphephethu
Lydia is a study interviewer and the mother figure of the group. She is particularly good at finding inconsistencies in participants' answers and appropriately probing to clarify and ensure we obtain high-quality data.
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Former Team Members
Tassia Araujo, MScAs a McGill Global Health Scholar, Tassia conducted a internship at the VHEMBE study field office in the summer of 2017. She holds a BSc and a MSc in computer science from the Federal University of Bahia and Sao Paulo University, Brazil. She is currently pursuing a BSc in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at McGill, focusing on Ecological Determinants of Health and Geographic Information Systems. Coming from Brazil, where insecticides are used to control vectors transmitting infectious diseases such as Zika and Dengue, Tassia is particularly interested in the potential side effects of Indoor Residual Spraying. She is also closely involved in her community by preparing and delivering meals to low-income seniors and contributes to the development of Debian, an open-source operating system.
Alexandra Iliescu, MEnvAs a Research Assistant, Alexandra helped coordinate the VHEMBE study as well as a new pilot study investigating occupational exposure to chemicals among Montreal firefighters. She holds a BSc in Microbiology and Immunology from McGill University and a Master's of Environment in Environmental Assessment from Concordia University. She now works for Health Canada as Environmental Assessment Officer.
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Clare FogartyWhile pursuing her BSc in Honours Microbiology and Immunology, Clare conducted a research internship at the VHEMBE study field office in Limpopo, South Africa during the summer of 2016. She assisted with on-site research tasks and investigated the relation between exposure to insecticides and PBMC count in VHEMBE participants. She presented this work at the McGill Global Health Night in November 2016. Clare is now pursuing her MDCM at the McGill Faculty of Medicine, and hopes to continue future international work in global health. In her free time, Clare enjoys dance, film, reading the New Yorker, and exploring Montreal.
Jennifer Murray, MPHJennifer is a Master’s of Public Health (MScPH) graduate from McGill. Following her graduation from Dartmouth College, where she earned a Bachelor's degree in Sociology, Jen worked as a Presidential Fellow in the Office of the President at Dartmouth. She then worked at The Dartmouth Center for Health Care Delivery Science on global health programs, including work in Peru, South Africa, Rwanda, Tanzania, Honduras, and with the Indian Health Service (US). She is interested in studying the effect of environmental exposures on human health, and how a better understanding of these exposures can improve health equity in Canada and around the world. At McGill, Jen investigated the association between exposure to the insecticide DDT and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy in VHEMBE children. Jen also likes to play tennis, run, ski, bike, travel, and enjoy Montreal.
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Jonathan Huang, PhD, MPHJonathan is a postdoctoral fellow with our group. He holds a BS in Biochemistry (University of Virginia), an MPH in Community-Oriented Public Health Practice and a PhD in Epidemiology (University of Washington). His interests are in the application of causal inference methods to mechanistic investigations in perinatal and life-course epidemiology as well as in the application of those methods to policy-making. He worked with Dr. Chevrier to investigate the relation between prenatal insecticide exposure and growth and infections among VHEMBE children. Jonathan is now a Senior Research Fellow at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research in Singapore.
Frances Sol Bruno, RNFrances is a Clinical and Research Nurse who worked on Dr. Chevrier's firefighter study. She holds a Master's of Science in Nursing Services Administration and a BSc in Nursing from McGill University. She is a practicing nurse clinician in the Emergency Department of the McGill University Health Centre. She also acts as clinical instructor at the Ingram School of Nursing, and clinical care coordinator for the CIUSSS Centre Ouest-de-l'Ile.
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