Principal Investigator
Dr. Alison Krentel
Principal Investigator
Alison Krentel completed her postgraduate studies at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine receiving her PhD in Public Health (2008) and her MSc in Public Health in Developing Countries (1999). She is an Associate Professor in the School of Epidemiology and Public Health at the University of Ottawa, a scientist at Bruyère Research Institute, and an Honorary Research Fellow at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. She is a Senior Research Fellow at the WHO Collaborating Centre for Knowledge Translation, Technology Assessment for Health Equity. Alison is one of the founding members and current chair of the Canadian Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases (www.cnntd.org).
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Alison’s main area of research interest and expertise involves understanding and facilitating community acceptance of new health initiatives for the control and elimination of infectious diseases, specifically neglected tropical diseases. She is interested in identifying ways to improve community participation in public health programmes, understanding patterns of non-participation and crafting mixed methods research and interventions to improve uptake. Alison worked with the DOLF research group at Washington University in St. Louis (https://dolfproject.wustl.edu/) as part of a multinational team to assess the safety, efficacy and acceptability of a new treatment regimen for lymphatic filariasis in five countries, leading the acceptability study across the five sites. Her current research portfolio involves understanding the motivations and stressors faced by community health workers and how to build more supportive community programs to enhance their performance. She is one of the lead PIs for a study understanding the transition to scale of proven interventions to address female genital schistosomiasis (FGS) in Ghana and Madagascar (the FAST Package).
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As a consultant, Alison has worked with the World Health Organization, for the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (WHO-TDR), the Pan American Health Organization, the Task Force for Global Health, UNICEF and the German government (GIZ).
THREADS Lab Team
Kazeem Arogundade
Consultant - FAST Package
Dr. Kazeem Arogundade is a public health enthusiast with progressive experience in clinical practice, research and in the design, coordination, implementation of Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health (RMNCAH), Family Planning, HIV/AIDS and Neglected Tropical Disease (Female Genital Schistosomiasis) programmes in sub-Saharan Africa. He graduated with a Master of Public Health Degree (MPH) degree from Staffordshire University, United Kingdom, medical degree from the University of Ilorin, Nigeria and Post Graduate Certificate in Applied Clinical Research at McMaster University, Canada. Kazeem is passionate about utilizing evidence-based interventions to improve the lives of people, specifically women, young girls and children in resource-constrained settings.
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He is currently a consultant for the FGS Accelerated Scale Together (FAST) package project with Dr. Alison Krentel’s team at the Bruyère Research Institute. Funded by the END Fund, this project is currently being implemented in Ethiopia and Madagascar.
Claudia Duguay
Postdoctoral fellow
Claudia Duguay is a Postdoctoral Fellow with the Threads Lab, where she applies her expertise in epidemiology and spatial analysis to address challenges in the elimination of neglected tropical diseases. She earned her PhD in Epidemiology from the University of Ottawa (2024), building on her MPH in Epidemiology (2020) and BSc in Biomedical Engineering (2018) from Drexel University. Claudia's current research is centered on evaluating the acceptability of a novel treatment for onchocerciasis in Ghana and Angola. Her prior work has been instrumental in identifying overlapping risk factors for malaria and schistosomiasis, as well as identifying never-treated populations for mass drug administrations targeting neglected tropical diseases and improving participation in these programs.
Kiflom Hailu
Research Coordinator
Kiflom is a public health research enthusiast who is passionate about creating impactful connections between communities, health program implementers, and research. With a master's degree in Public Health from the University of Gondar, Ethiopia, he started his career as an environmental health program head and progressed into managerial roles, coordinating programs for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Maternal and Child Health (MCH) surveillance programs. In his previous role as a research officer, he formulated operational research proposals for development across various public health programs in Ethiopia.
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Currently, Kiflom serves as a Research Coordinator at the Bruyère Research Institute, overseeing the Female Genital Schistosomiasis (FGS) Accelerated Scale Together (FAST) package project in Madagascar and Ethiopia. This project is funded by the End Fund.
Tina Lines
Advocacy & Policy Officer
Tina has worked within the non-profit sector for more than 20 years, with nearly 10 years of proposal development & design experience including with international agencies such as Plan International Canada, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the International Development and Relief Foundation (IDRF), among others. She has worked in Kenya and Zambia, conducted training in Djibouti and Uganda and has visited many other countries in South America, Africa and Europe. She has experience developing multi-country programs, primarily in health and education in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Tina loves the intersection between gender, health and human rights; knowledge translation in health; and learning from others in the global health community. Tina holds an Honours B.A in Political Science and Human Rights from Carleton University, and a post-graduate degree in International Project Management from Humber College, and is completing an MSc in Global Public Health from Queen Mary University London. Tina is really excited to have the opportunity to collaborate with a bright, passionate and diverse team to advance the policy and advocacy agenda of the Canadian Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases (CNNTD).
Varsa Murugesu
Community of Practice Manager, iCHORDS
Varsa is the Community of Practice Manager for iCHORDS. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences and is completing an MSc in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences at the University of Ottawa. Varsa's interests include sexual and reproductive health, disability, and science communication. Her current focus is on knowledge translation and dissemination to improve the lives of individuals at risk for Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). Varsa is enthusiastic about expanding her expertise in NTDs and building connections with professionals in the field.
Dukharmel Nazaire
Research Coordinator
Dr. Dukharmel Nazaire received his medical degree from Université Notre Dame d’Haiti (Haiti). Later, he obtained his Master of Public Health (MPH) degree and a Post Graduate Certificate in Global Health from University of Massachusetts-Amherst, USA. In November 2023, he also completed a master's degree in Program Evaluation with École Nationale d'Administration Publique (ÉNAP) in Gatineau, Quebec.
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As a professional, he worked for several years as a Clinician, Program Supervisor and Care and Treatment Coordinator alternately for NGOs and the Ministry of Public Health in Haiti in various programs, such as Prevention, Care and Treatment of HIV / AIDS, Tuberculosis and Sexually transmitted diseases. He has relevant experience in research, implementation, coordination, and evaluation of Global Health projects in resource-limited settings. At the Bruyère Research Institute, he works as a Research Project Coordinator for the project aiming to implement a new approach to improve ivermectin mass treatment coverage in onchocerciasis transmission zones in Mali.
Aashka Sood
Research Coordinator II
Dr. Aashka Sood holds a bachelor's degree in dentistry and a master's degree in oral pathology and microbiology. She has extensive experience in both research and public health settings. After transitioning from her role as a Senior Lecturer in Oral Pathology and Microbiology in India, Aashka moved into public health, where she worked as a research coordinator for a maternal and child health project led by the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health in collaboration with Maulana Azad Medical College, New Delhi.
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Currently, Aashka manages multiple multi-country NTD research projects at the Bruyère Research Institute. She is also pursuing a master’s in Healthcare Management at McMaster University, a program that aligns with her passion for developing and implementing health policies and deepening her expertise in program management, healthcare finance, and accounting. Aashka's interests in health policy stem from her experience working on the ground level in public health projects. She is keen on ensuring that the policies developed are relevant and effective in addressing the health needs of the community.
Carol Vlassoff
Adjunct Professor
Dr. Carol Vlassoff (PhD, Pune, India) is an Adjunct Professor with the School of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ottawa and the Bruyère Research Institute, where she conducts research and teaching activities in the field of global health, gender, human rights and equity. Formerly, she worked with the World Health Organization for 17 years, including as Chief, HIV/AIDS (PAHO) in Washington, D.C., WHO Representative in Suriname, and Deputy Director, Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases, WHO in Geneva, Switzerland. She has also held key posts in the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada, and the Canadian International Development Research Centre (now Global Affairs Canada). Dr. Vlassoff has more than 80 peer-reviewed publications in the areas of gender, health systems, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, tropical diseases and human rights. She currently divides her time between Canada and Costa Rica.
THREADS Lab PhD Students
Jeremiah Acharibasam
PhD Student
Jeremiah is a Doctoral Candidate in Epidemiology at the University of Ottawa, working under Dr. Alison Krentel's supervision. He has a multidisciplinary background. He obtained his Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Ghana, and Master of Science degrees in Community and Population Health Sciences and Telemedicine and E-Health from the University of Saskatchewan and the University of Tromso, respectively.
Jeremiah has work experience in Ghana's community mental health care system and previous research experience in assessing mental health outcomes in developing countries using mixed methods, systematic reviews, and meta-analysis. He also has industrial work experience using advanced statistical modelling methods, including Machine Learning, statistical prediction, and Natural Language Processing.
Jeremiah's current research focuses on using mixed methods to explore the impact of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) comorbid disability on access to cross-campaign community health care services in Ghana.
Katarina Ost
PhD Student
Katarina is a Doctoral Candidate in Epidemiology at the University of Ottawa working under the supervision of Dr. Alison Krentel and Dr. Manisha Kulkarni. She completed her MPH at the University of Washington, where her thesis focused on the way in which sociodemographic characteristics modify the relationship between climactic variables and malaria in Kanungu, Uganda. Currently her research focuses on strategies to prevent and control Lyme Disease in the Ottawa area and will incorporate elements of acceptability and feasibility research to help inform future interventions.
James Kotuah Sakeah
PhD Student
James Kotuah Sakeah is a doctoral student in Epidemiology under the supervision of Dr. Krentel. His research revolves around community drug distributors or volunteer resilience over time, variations of resilience across health campaigns and the association with the mental health. James has previous work experience in health research in several studies at the Navrongo Health Research Centre in Ghana, and the Universities of Lethbridge and Calgary in Canada. He also worked as the research and evaluation lead for Primary Care in rural Alberta. James holds an MSc in Health Sciences from the University of Lethbridge and a BA in Sociology and Social work from the University of Ghana.
Moussa Sangare
PhD Student
Moussa Sangare received his medical degree in 2011 from the University of Bamako in Mali and holds a Masters of Science in Disease Control from the Institute of Tropical medicine, Antwerp, Belgium. He is currently undertaking a doctoral degree in Population Health at the University of Ottawa. Moussa has an interest and passion for healthcare delivery in developing countries desiring to help in solving the problem of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs).
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Moussa’s research has focused on lymphatic filariasis (LF), which is caused in Mali by the parasitic worm Wuchereria bancrofti. During the past 3 years, he has been involved in a multi-center, double-blinded, randomized, 24-month study to assess the efficacy of doxycycline in improving filarial lymphedema. In parallel, he and his team are interested in improving mass drug administration (MDA) coverage among vulnerable populations including nomadic communities, internally displaced persons, and seasonal workers.
Moussa also participates in operational research, monitoring and evaluation that supports Malian National NTD Programs, including lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis and schistosomiasis, and the implementation of integrated strategy approaches. His research interests include neglected tropical diseases epidemiology in developing countries and how they modulate the host immune response.
Charles Thickstun
PhD Student
Charles Thickstun is a Doctoral Candidate in Epidemiology at the University of Ottawa and a Research Assistant on the Threads team. He works closely with Dr. Krentel, in-country partners, and the Threads team to provide quantitative analyses of social acceptability measures for mass drug administration to inform public health messaging. Charles has also led on the ground training of data collectors for Threads projects in Guyana and Papua New Guinea.
Olivia Varsaneux
PhD Student
Olivia is a Doctoral Candidate in Epidemiology at the University of Ottawa, working under Dr. Alison Krentel's supervision. Her research is focused on Harm Reduction in incarcerated populations. Olivia previously worked as an infectious epidemiologist with Correctional Services Canada and in the area of HIV/AIDs at the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). Before PHAC, she worked as a research fellow with London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) and epidemiologist with WHO, and UNAIDS both in the field, Geneva and London. Olivia has a background in Microbiology from McGill University and a masters in Control of Infectious Diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
THREADS Lab Summer Students & Interns (2024)
Fahimeh Abdollahi
Summer Student 2024
Fahimeh is a student in the MPH program at the University of Ottawa, with a strong focus on women's health advocacy, particularly in resource-limited settings. She graduated from Western University with a double major in Health Sciences and French. During her summer placement with the Threads Lab, she continued a systematic review she began in the fall of 2023. This research focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of participatory health system interventions designed to enhance reproductive and sexual health for adolescent girls in Sub-Saharan Africa. Her findings highlight a significant gap in upstream approaches to sexual and reproductive health, revealing a lack of participatory interventions that effectively involve the target population in planning, implementing, or evaluating health programs.
Jordyn Burnett
Summer Student 2024
Jordyn is pursuing a Master’s in Global Health at McMaster University. Her summer research project with the Threads Lab focuses on neglected tropical diseases, particularly lymphatic filariasis, and examines the impact of global health interventions on health systems in Sub-Saharan Africa. Her research highlights the limitations of vertical health interventions and advocates for comprehensive health systems strengthening. Jordyn completed her undergraduate degree in Cognitive Science at Carleton University, where her thesis investigated the role of specific receptor pathways in diabetes. Her primary research interests lie at the intersection of health and human rights.
Prithi Ravichandran
Intern
Prithi completed her bachelor’s degree in dentistry from India and a Master’s in Public Health from the University of Ottawa. During her undergraduate years, Prithi actively contributed to and led various oral health educational camps, gaining valuable hands-on experience in the field. She also participated in several academic research projects as part of her dental curriculum. Transitioning to public health, Prithi focused on learning research methodologies and public health program development and promotional strategies. She is passionate about working towards the prevention and management of infectious diseases among marginalized populations. She is currently undertaking an internship at the Threads Lab, where she contributes to a range of NTD implementation research projects.
THREADS Lab Alumni
Leshawn Benedict
Community of Practice Manager
Amy Davis
Advocacy & Policy Officer
Daniel Dilliott
Research Assistant
Jacie Liu
Graduate Student
Lauren Davies
Summer Student 2023
Sazia Naz
Volunteer
Julienne Niyikora
Research Assistant
Obaraboye Olude
Graduate Student
Kruti Patel
Graduate Student
Rachel Strohm
Community of Practice Manager
Afzaa Rajabali
Research Assistant
Joses Robinson
Graduate Student
Tavishi Weeraratne
Graduate Student
Chloe Champion
Summer Student 2023
