The 2025 seed grant recipients will also present their latest research updates in various fields of global health research in a brief 10-minute presentation.

This is an open call to York researchers to consider presenting at this year's in-person workshop.

York faculty and researchers (with the support of a York faculty member) are invited to deliver a brief five-minute, two-slide presentation on any current or planned research project that takes a critical social science approach to global health at the workshop. Presenters will receive valuable feedback from experts in the field in preparation for the Critical Perspectives in Global Health Seed Grant Applications (valued up to $8,000 CAD each). The seed grants support critical global health research that contributes to the three themes of the Dahdaleh Institute (planetary health, global health and humanitarianism, and global health foresighting).

The registration deadline to present a new research idea is Thursday, April 16, 2026.

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Collaborators

1. �첥��Ƶ: Dr. Benedict Weobong; Dr. Kerry Scott is assistant professor of implementation science and will provide this leadership.
2. University of Ghana: Dr. Dzifa Atta is a senior lecturer and clinical psychologist at University of Ghana; Dr. Kenneth Adde is an early-career researcher at University of Ghana.
3. Navrongo Health Research Centre, Ghana Dr. Raymond Aborigo
4. BasicNeeds Ghana Dr. Peter Badimak Yaro
5. INDEPTH Network Prof. Philip Adongo
6. Kings College London: Prof. Melanie Abas; Prof. Barbara Barrett
7. CREATES Kenya: Prof. Bernhards Ogutu
8. IRSS/CRUN Burkina Faso: Dr. Innocent Valea
9. University of Zimbabwe: Prof. Dixon Chibanda

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By Alexander Huls

A new study by York researchers reveals how tuberculosis (TB) can disrupt work, relationships and daily life, leaving lasting effects even after treatment ends.

“For many people, the experience of TB is debilitating physically, emotionally, socially and financially,” says Nancy Bedingfield, a postdoctoral research fellow at the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research, who works with Associate Professor Amrita Daftary at the School of Global Health. The way these effects are typically studied is through a unifying framework. “Quality of life (QoL) is a single concept capable of capturing these wide-ranging impacts,” she explains.

To measure QoL, researchers often use an internationally recognized questionnaire called the World Health Organization Quality of Life – BREF (WHOQOL-BREF). But while working on a larger study called MISSED OUTCOMES, which explores the causes and effects of high TB rates in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province, Bedingfield realized that standardized measures might miss something vital.

“Standardized questionnaires yield very valuable information, but cannot capture the cultural and individual complexity that really matter when it comes to an outcome as personal as quality of life,” she says. “We can’t truly understand the impacts of TB unless we look at the experience holistically. We need a nuanced understanding in order to do that.”

To address this, Bedingfield pursued a stand-alone study within MISSED OUTCOMES which has now been published in . The study was co-designed with Andrew Medina-Marino’s team at the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation, University of Cape Town, and engaged a recent graduate of York’s School of Global Health, Mahilet Girma.

The team conducted open-ended interviews with individuals at different stages of treatment, giving participants space to share their own experiences of how TB affects their daily lives.

Participants described how TB didn't just damage their lungs, but disrupted routines, limited their independence and reshaped how they saw themselves and their roles within families and communities. Many described a decline leading up to a diagnosis, as unmanaged symptoms made work and everyday tasks increasingly difficult. Treatment was not an automatic remedy. In fact, early treatment was often the most challenging stage, marked by medication side effects, fatigue and mounting financial strain. Even after treatment ended, many participants continued to experience those challenges.

Participants judged their well-being on what mattered most to them: the ability to work, support family or pursue personal goals. Physical recovery wasn’t enough; without income or social assistance, many still felt the quality of their daily lives was poor. Through those personal perspectives, the study will add nuance to how well-being is understood in TB patients and highlight gaps in social and economic services, pointing to the systemic changes needed to improve outcomes.

“People experiencing TB, especially in low- and middle-income countries such as South Africa, require financial assistance and personalized counselling to achieve a fulfilling quality of life and recover from the setbacks imposed by TB,” says Bedingfield.

The study recommends more support during early treatment, when well-being is often at its lowest, as well as after treatment ends when people are considered "cured." This could include income assistance, counselling, education and programs to help people return to work.

Recovery from TB is about eliminating infection as much as it is about restoring stability, independence and dignity – something medicine alone cannot achieve.

“We hope our study comes to the attention of international and national decision-makers who can increase prioritization and funding for social protection programs – such as cash transfers, nutrition programs and personalized counselling – for people affected by TB,” Bedingfield adds. “The needs of people affected by TB are great, but the resources available for person-centred supports are lacking.”

Bedingfield, Nancy, Fiphaza, K.,��Girma, Mahilet, Majiza, L., De Vos, L., Olivier, D., Kipp, A. M., Medina-Marino, A., & Daftary, Amrita. (2026). Quality of life among people with tuberculosis in the Eastern Cape, South Africa: a qualitative study. BMC Global and Public Health,��4(1).��

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Dr. Ahmed al-Farra, a senior pediatrician in Gaza and head of pediatrics and maternity in Gaza's Nasser Medical Complex, joined the panel online from Gaza. He began by sharing the horrifying impacts of the genocide and humanitarian crisis in Gaza, which are vividly seen through the current medical genocide of the health sector, including the severe destruction of medical services and infrastructure.

Dr. al-Farra discussed the destruction of hospitals, primary healthcare centers and educational institutions. One of the primary hospitals, Al-Shifaa Hospital, was the backbone of the health sector in Gaza. Being an important pillar of health in Gaza, a full-fledged plan by the Israeli forces was performed as part of the occupation to destroy it.

Next, he discussed the devastation of the occupation of children’s lives. This includes famine and hunger in Gaza, such as severe cases of malnutrition, known as kwashiorkor and marasmus. He shared various, personal stories of malnourished children who were suffering from nutrient deficiencies that caused illnesses and death. Further, the impact on Gaza’s orphanages was discussed, where over 56,000 children have become orphans and now face uncertain futures due to war-related injuries and amputations.

Subsequently, Dr. al-Farra discussed the occupation’s deliberate prevention of medical evacuations through the closure of borders, which caused the deaths of PICU and NICU patients who were awaiting permission to travel. The death of thousands of children are the heartbreaking consequences of multiple systemic and medical failures inflicted by the occupation.

Lastly, Dr. al-Farra discussed the detrimental impacts of shortage of medicines, hypothermia, and premature births – all leading to the deaths of thousands of Palestinians. He also shared the implications of the occupation of about 2,700 families being erased from the civil records during the Israeli war on Gaza.

Next, Dr. Ola Ziara, a pediatrician and a global health specialist from Gaza, who now lives in Toronto, began by sharing her project in collaboration with Dr. Rachel Coghlan, rooted in amplifying the voices of exemplars of ethical and local humanitarianism.

She shared a recorded presentation of Dr. Rachel Coghlan, researcher at the Nossal Institute for Global Health, University of Melbourne and practicing physiotherapist. Dr. Coghlan explained the origins of her work, in collaboration with Dr. Ziara, where they set out to explore the lived experiences of everyday Palestinians in Gaza working in different capacities during a genocide. She shared sentiments on the concept of care, which fundamentally requires that we listen to and understand a person's whole story, not just their disease, but their past, present, and future.

Dr. Ziara shared snapshots of voices from Mohammad (ICU doctor, Father), Noor (Psychologist, Mother), Hanan (High school student, food and water aid volunteer), Hadeel (Physiotherapy student), Hana (Translator and interpreter, aid volunteer), Farah (English language graduate, volunteer teacher) and Ahmed (Accountant, food and water aid volunteer); people with different backgrounds, professions, experiences and dreams for the future.

Their research asked a series of questions, including: What drives ordinary people to adapt, find purpose and stay? What is survival through starvation and wicked choices? What are the thoughts, memories and hopes that come to their mind? What is strength and resistance? What do you think about humanity, 2 years after genocide? Select reflections are included below.

In response to the question what drives ordinary people to adapt, find purpose and stay?, Ahmed stated, “Each time I survived what felt like certain death, I knew God has saved me for a reason. I believe that I have a mission to fulfill, whether it's to support my family or help others.”

In response to what is strength and resistance?, Farrah replied, “I hope people outside understand that we are not only victims. Ordinary people will rise to fill the gaps when system collapse. I wish people understood that we are resourceful, that our survival is built on creativity and love, not just suffering”

Throughout their stories, Palestinians in Gaza, who have endured the past two years of genocide, reveal that their actions and motivations exemplify what it truly means to be humanitarian and human in nature.

Lastly, Professor Michael Lynk, Former UN Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestinian territory (2016-2022) talked about the Palestinian right to health under occupation and genocide. He framed his discussion around a constructively legal representation of the various war crimes, apartheid, genocide, and violation of human rights inflicted by Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. He discussed the three relevant international laws, International Human Rights Law, International Humanitarian Law, and International Criminal Law.

The Israeli settlements, which are the cornerstone of the Israeli occupation, are illegal under international law, including the United Nations Security Council Resolution (passed on December 23, 2016), the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (1998) and the Crimes Against Humanity Act (2000). Prof. Lynk begs the question; If Israeli settlements are a war crime, why is any country allowing a free trade agreement with Israel, which recognizes settlements as a part of Israel?

His last report as Special Rapporteur, issued in March 2022, concluded that Israel was committing apartheid in the occupied Palestinian territories. There is also the right to health being a fundamental human right, as demonstrated in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966). As such, the right to health should be fully protected in times of war and occupation.

Following the panelist’s presentations, a panel discussion was held, including questions around the purpose of International Law in fast-evolving crises and the impacts of Israeli narrative permeating the Western, dominant media. In the end, Dr. Ziara and Dr. al-Farra expressed their gratitude towards the audience, as well as the need for continued support, awareness and amplifications of Palestinian history and experiences.  

Watch the full seminar here:   

This is part two of a panel series, find the recap for part one here: Recap — Centering Palestinian Voices: Rethinking Global Health and Humanitarian Responsibility in Gaza

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Supported by SSHRC, the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research, and Mitacs, the project fielded a team of eight community-based surveyors who are conducting over 600 household surveys every month and completing bimonthly mapping of all 300 water sources across the three communities. The communities were selected to reflect Freetown's geographic diversity, from low-lying coastal areas to hillside settlements, as well as their varying relationships with local government and their mix of public, private, and community-managed water infrastructure.

"I have a strong background in quantitative research methods, and I want to employ them as rigorously and thoroughly as possible to find their real limits," said Waters. "While grappling with those limits, I'm employing the qualitative, ethical, and relational research methodologies that EUC has taught me to critically engage with those limits and push the water security research just a little bit further."

The study deploys the Household Water Insecurity Experiences (HWISE) scale alongside original survey instruments, JMP standards, and water source interviews, pushing these state-of-the-art tools to their quantitative limits to explore both what they can reveal and where even their best measurements fall short. All eight surveyors were drawn from the study communities themselves, grounding the data collection in local knowledge and ensuring a level of community trust that is rarely achievable through outside research teams alone.

Waters arrived in Freetown in October 2025 and returned home in late February. The study will continue through November 2026, capturing seasonal variation, price fluctuations, and source failures in ways that one-time assessments cannot. The resulting dataset is expected to contribute to ongoing debates at the United Nations and in global water policy circles about how water security is measured and what even the best available tools cannot fully capture.

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Introductions from each panelist demonstrated the interconnectedness of their work. First, Evelyn Amponsah is a former CITY/EUC Postdoctoral Fellow and interdisciplinary scholar of Black diaspora, memory, temporality and political life. Evelyn highlighted the spatial distribution of well-being: only certain neighbourhoods in Canada are safe, secure, and affordable, and these inequities are exacerbated due to climate change. Evelyn spoke of her Postdoctoral research in Toronto, Vancouver, and Kitchener with residents in social housing, single-room occupancies, and basement apartments. In these spaces, impacts such as extreme indoor temperatures worsened residents’ existing mental and physical health conditions. This has led Evelyn to question how to redesign systems so that reciprocal care and justice are embedded into infrastructure. 

Similar links between care, energy poverty, and well-being were discussed by Mylène Riva, an Associate Professor in the Department of Geography at McGill University. Mylène introduced her research related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how access to clean, sustainable, and affordable energy (SDG 7) is essential for advancing health and well-being (SDG 3). Research from a study of Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, has found that social care needs and responsibilities (such as caring for family members) influence energy use and costs. During this study, Bridgewater also experienced an extreme weather event, Hurricane Lee, and many residents shared stories of increased stress and burdens during that time. 

Patricio Belloy, an Assistant Professor at the Institute of Economics, Universidad Austral de Chile, discussed the issue of gentrification in a climate-vulnerable neighbourhood in East Boston, which has a predominantly Latinx population. Patricio’s research used participatory workshops and a human needs-based approach to recognize community assets, assess barriers to need satisfaction and envision desired futures for the community. Activists within the community have been implementing their own solutions, such as green walks, as an opportunity for residents to gather and share their experiences and strategies for improving their lives in the neighborhood. 

To conclude the event, panelists and audience members reflected on how to tackle the interconnected issues surrounding housing, energy, and climate change in the future. Panelists emphasized the need to move beyond traditional climate adaptation strategies towards interdisciplinary frameworks which prioritize concepts such as justice and eudaimonic understandings of well-being. Solutions and points of intervention were proposed, such as meaningfully including groups typically underrepresented in decision-making, and prioritizing long-term outcomes in policy solutions instead of short-term fixes, which may contribute to unintended consequences. 

Connect with Evelyn Amponsah, Patricio Belloy, and Mylene Riva

Watch the full seminar here:

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On December 10, 2025, The Climate Collective (TCC) partnered with the Equity Health Literacy Project (EHLP) to host a collaborative Climate Café at the Carrville Community Centre, Vaughan. The evening brought together students, community members, and facilitators for a thoughtful dialogue on climate change, digital literacy, and collective well-being.

The Climate Collective is a �첥��Ƶ student-led initiative dedicated to fostering sustainable climate action through community-centred engagement. Operating in partnership with the Wellness Impact Lab (WIL) at the DahdalehInstitute for Global Health Research (DI), TCC creates spaces where climate conversations are not only informative but also emotionally supportive and action-oriented.

The session was facilitated by Sadra Toossi, Chair of TCC, and ��������������𾱰���,��Vice Chair, both undergraduate Global Health students and DI Global Health Interns at �첥��Ƶ. They were joined by Iliya Rhiimi and Arya Soltani Muhammadi, co-founders of EHLP, whose work focuses on advancing equitable and accessible health literacy.

Across 14 participants, evaluation results reflected the strength of the collaboration:

• 100% of attendees reported feeling welcomed and respected in the space
• 93% reported increased understanding of how digital literacy intersects with climate and health
• 86% felt more confident engaging in climate-related discussions in their own communities.

Participants emphasized how the Climate Café format helped connect knowledge with lived experience. As one participant reflected:

“This Climate Café made me realize that health literacy and climate literacy are deeply interconnected. When people have equitable access to reliable information and a space to reflect together, climate action becomes more informed, grounded, and possible.” 

Throughout the evening, attendees explored climate emotions, discussed barriers to accessing reliable digital health information, and engaged in grounding practices centred on community care. The collaboration highlighted how climate action becomes stronger and more inclusive when literacy, equity, and emotional well-being are addressed together.

The Climate Collective extends sincere thanks to EHLP and all participants who contributed to such an impactful evening. TCC looks forward to continuing to build partnerships that foster inclusive, community-driven climate dialogue and action.

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Led by Professor Godfred O. Boateng (�첥��Ƶ) and Professor Reginald Quansah (University of Ghana), and supported by facilitators from the Dahdaleh Institute of Global Health Research, the workshop provided participants with a comprehensive introduction to the principles, methodologies, and practical steps involved in conducting high-quality systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Through a combination of lectures, interactive discussions, and hands-on exercises, participants gained practical skills in developing review protocols, conducting structured literature searches, screening and extracting data, assessing study quality, and synthesizing evidence. The training fostered cross-institutional collaboration and strengthened participants’ capacity to produce rigorous evidence syntheses to inform research, policy, and practice.

Across four sessions, participants learned how to differentiate systematic reviews versus other reviews (eg. scoping review, narrative review, critical review, umbrella review), explored how to develop rigorous research questions using PICO/PECO framework, drafting a systematic review protocol, formulate search strategies, navigate major academic databases, and extract and synthesize evidence using qualitative and quantitative tools. Interactive group activities allowed participants to apply each day’s lessons to real-world research problems, with instructors providing one-on-one support to refine search strings, troubleshoot methodological challenges, and strengthen conceptual frameworks.

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BioCAM4 actively participated through both a flash presentation and a discussion panel, offering opportunities to contribute to dialogue on international collaboration, interdisciplinary research, and partnership-based approaches. Our project partners Tropical Agricultural Research & Higher Education Center (CATIE) and Africa Research & Impact Network (ARIN) played a distinct role alongside a full presentation of the BioCAM4 team across global regions and an overview of the project and diversity of its outputs and deliverables to date.

BioCAM4 is housed at the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research at �첥��Ƶ, and is partnered with, the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS - Germany), Institute of Zoology (United Kingdom), Radboud University (Netherlands), Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE, Costa Rica), African Research Impact Network (ARIN - Kenya), and Greater Virunga Transboundary Collaboration (Rwanda). BioCAM4 is funded by the Government of Canada’s New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF), Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft / German Science Foundation (DFG), and UKRI's Economic and Social Research Council.

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Job Title: Global Strategy Lab Research Dissemination and Design Research Assistant

Application Deadline: Sunday, April 5, 2026 @ 11:59 p.m. ET

Applications are only accepted through the Career Centre. Go to the  through Passport York and search for the posting with the Job ID listed above. Note: applicants must be eligible to participate in the Research @ York (RAY) program, see .

Hourly wage: $20 per hour

Hours per week: 10 hours per week

Start date: April 27, 2026

End date: August 31, 2026

Job description

Under the supervision of Professor Adrian Viens, the Global Strategy Lab Research Dissemination and Design Research Assistant (for up to 10 hours per week) will work closely with the Communications and Research teams to support knowledge mobilization planning and execution.

The Global Strategy Lab (GSL) is a world class research unit with a long track record of bridging the gap between research and global health action. Our team advises the world’s governments and organizations like the World Health Organization on how to design laws, policies and institutions that address transnational health threats and make the world a healthier place for everyone. Our work focuses on three areas of research: global legal epidemiology, public health institutions, and global antimicrobial resistance.

Specific research activities the student(s) will be engaged in:

• Research and analyze knowledge translation options to best share research findings with research;
• Peer review articles and comment on research in progress;
• Be an integral member of a cross-functional team developing knowledge translation plans on new research in the areas of public health institutions, global legal epidemiology, and antimicrobial resistance governance;
• Work closely with researchers and the communications team to create knowledge translation products that make new research accessible to policy and public audiences.

Type of research experience the student(s) will receive:

• Critical thinking
• Academic and policy writing skills
• Reference management

Type of training and support that will be provided to the student(s) in carrying out these research activities:

• Methodological training on various communication tools for academic and policy audiences
• Subject matter training on various global health topics
• Regular status meetings with your supervising full-time faculty and staff

Qualifications

• Current undergraduate York student. Applicants from diverse programs of study are encouraged. The Dahdaleh Institute welcomes applications from all qualified individuals, including, but not limited to women, persons with disabilities, visible minorities (racialized), Indigenous Peoples and persons of any gender identity and sexual orientation. �첥��Ƶ is committed to a positive, supportive, and inclusive environment.
• Demonstrated interest research communications
• Effective interpersonal and communication skills.
• Demonstrated computer skills
• Ability and willingness to work both independently and as part of a team with researchers, students, and staff.
• Demonstrated eagerness to learn and take initiative.
• Demonstrated organizational and time management skills.

Application materials

• Cover letter
• Resume

If you have any questions, please email Adrian Viens.

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