Prativa Baral
Dr. Prativa Baral is an epidemiologist and global health scholar working at the intersection of health systems, crisis readiness, and science communication. She is Deputy Director of the Pandemic and Emergency Readiness Lab (PERL) and an Assistant Professor (Research) in the Department of Global and Public Health at McGill University, where she works alongside Director Dr. Joanne Liu to lead the lab's strategic growth and direction. She is also a Faculty Associate at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Trained at McGill University (BSc), Columbia University (MPH), and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (PhD), Dr. Baral’s work focuses on strengthening health systems and improving readiness for health emergencies, with a particular emphasis on infectious diseases, data infrastructure, and misinformation. Her work spans academic, policy, and public arenas. She has advised institutions including the World Health Organization, World Bank, United Nations, the Gates Foundation, and OpenAI, and contributed to the domestic and global COVID-19 response, including as a trusted media voice. A 2025 Gairdner Early Career Researcher Awardee, Pierre Elliott Trudeau Foundation Scholar, CIHR Fellow, and recipient of the King Charles III Coronation Medal, Dr. Baral brings academic rigour, field-tested strategy, and public engagement to some of the most pressing health challenges of today.