RESEARCH PROGRAMS

Public Health Institutions

Numerous international, national, and sub-national institutions play a critical role in public health. However, relatively little research has been conducted on these institutions, and few existing studies draw on the rich body of insights from political science, public administration, and international relations. Similarly, the existing literature on public health policy does not typically integrate concepts and theories from political science and, in particular, the rapidly growing body of research on the complex role of scientific evidence in policy making.  

Through bridging public health and political science, we advise governments around the world on how to design public health institutions that are capable of addressing tomorrow’s challenges.

Featured Projects

• Public Health Institutions

Understanding the Role of Senior Public Health Officials  

In many countries, the COVID-19 pandemic thrust Chief Medical Officers of Health (CMOHs) into the spotlight and revealed key misunderstandings in public discourse about the roles of senior public health leadership. Despite their critical role in providing information and influencing public behavior during emergencies, little…

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• Public Health Institutions

Improving Organ Donation and Transplantation Governance to Meet Patient Needs

In Canada, the need for organs for transplantation far exceeds the donated supply, despite the long-term goal of the organ donation and transplantation (ODT) system is to achieve the balance between donated organs and transplant patient needs. To address some of the challenges with the…

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• Public Health Institutions

Public Health and Political Science: Bridging the Divide

Although public health is inherently political, the tools and insights of political science are seldom integrated into public health research and analysis. Building bridges between these disciplines can contribute to a more effective and actionable understanding of the role of science and politics in public…

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Team

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Patrick Fafard

Research Director, Public Health Institutions

Julia Rodgers

Research Associate, Public Health Institutions

Elizabeth Mebrahtu

Research Fellow