Led by Dr. Huaiping Zhu, our dynamic OMNI-RÉUNIS Leadership Team includes Co-Directors Dr. Hélène Carabin and Dr. Mark Lewis, alongside Senior Manager Natasha Ketter and Program Officer Shivika Adhwaryu. Their diverse expertise in mathematical modelling, One Health, data science, epidemiology, public health, and project management equips them to lead a network of expert researchers tackling complex challenges in the field of emerging infectious diseases. As the leadership team, they provide strategic direction, convening regularly to facilitate discussions and prioritize actions for the Board of Directors and Committees leading network initiatives. To advance OMNI-RÉUNIS’ mission and make a meaningful impact in this field, the network strives to provide guiding leadership, drive innovation, foster collaboration, and strengthen partnerships across our EIDM networks, universities, government and public health institutions.
Dr. Huaiping Zhu, Principal Investigator and Director of OMNI-RÉUNIS
York University
Dr. Huaiping Zhu is the principal investigator on the OMNI-RÉUNIS project and Professor of Mathematics in the Faculty of Science as well as the Director of the Laboratory of Mathematical Parallel Systems (LAMPS) at York University. Appointed as a Tier I Chair, he has research interests that include dynamical systems and differential equations; bifurcation theory and applications; Hilbert’s sixteenth problem; mathematical ecology and epidemiology; climate change modelling and impact studies; and developing mathematical models, theories, methodologies and tools for the prevention and control of vector-borne diseases.
Dr. Hélène Carabin, Co-Director of OMNI-RÉUNIS
Université de Montréal
Dr. Hélène Carabin holds a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine and a Masters of Veterinary Clinical Sciences from the Université de Montréal, as well as a Doctorate in Epidemiology from McGill University. She is a Professor in the Department of Pathology and Microbiology of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and the Department of Social and Preventive Medicine at the School of Public Health of the Université de Montréal. Holder of the Canada Research Chair in Epidemiology and One Health, her research team is looking at evaluating the added value of the One Health approach to not only control zoonoses, but also to improve the health of humans and animals. She obtained and collaborated on 32 grants totaling USD 46.5 million between 2002 and 2018. In 19 of these, she was the Principal Investigator (PI) or co-PI. Most of the grants addressed research questions related to zoonoses, and Dr. Carabin has built an exceptionally strong international reputation as a leader in conducting rigorous and innovative epidemiological research while applying the One Health concept.
Dr. Mark Lewis, Co-Director of OMNI-RÉUNIS
University of Victoria
Dr. Mark Lewis is a professor and Gilbert and Betty Kennedy Research Chair in Mathematical Biology at the University of Victoria Department of Mathematics and Statistics and Department of Biology. Among other topics, he has written extensively on the Allee effect, invasive species, parasitism and biological dispersal. In 2015, he was elected as a fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. He was elected as a fellow of the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics in 2017, “for contributions to mathematical biology and the study of spatial dynamics processes”. In 2018 the Canadian Mathematical Society listed him in their inaugural class of fellows.
Natasha Ketter, Senior Manager of OMNI-RÉUNIS
York University
Natasha Ketter is the Senior Manager of OMNI-RÉUNIS based at York University. She is an impact-driven professional with international experience in global project management and strategic nonprofit communications, working primarily for non-government organizations in Canada, across Africa and Asia on children’s, gender, and health rights. She holds a Master of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership (MPNL) degree from the School of Public Policy and Administration at Carleton University, and an Honours Bachelor of Social Sciences in International Development and Globalization from the University of Ottawa.
Shivika Adhwaryu, Program Officer of OMNI-RÉUNIS
York University
Shivika Adhwaryu is the Program Officer at OMNI-RÉUNIS, York University. A result-oriented professional with a flair for driving impactful initiatives, she possesses global experience in strategic communications across diverse sectors, including public health, legal, and corporate environments in Canada, the US, and India. She holds post-graduate certificates in Marketing Management and Public Relations-Corporate Communications (PRC) from Seneca Polytechnic and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies and Creative Writing from Arcadia University, Pennsylvania, USA.