Dr. Yassen Tcholakov is a public health physician and Clinical Lead for Infectious Diseases at the Nunavik Department of Public Health, where he leads the regional tuberculosis (TB) response in Inuit communities of northern Quebec. His work focuses on strengthening surveillance, outbreak response, and health system capacity to address persistently high TB incidence in remote and under-resourced settings.
Dr. Tcholakov is an assistant professor (clinical) in the Department of Global and Public Health at McGill University, where he teaches global health governance and infectious disease epidemiology. He has contributed to international TB policy and advocacy through the WHO Civil Society Task Force on Tuberculosis and the World Medical Association. His work bridges implementation, policy, and research to advance equitable and sustainable TB control.
His current research interests include the evaluation of TB contact investigation strategies, ethical and equity implications of Directly Observed Therapy (DOT), and the integration of community leadership models in TB prevention and care. He is also involved in national-level efforts to improve TB medication access, modernize data systems, and align Canada’s response with international elimination targets.
Current research projects:
- Wastewater-based health monitoring in northern communities in Nunavik, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, collaborator with PI Stéphanie Guilherme (Université Laval). This multidisciplinary project develops wastewater surveillance methods for early detection of infectious disease outbreaks in remote Indigenous communities in Nunavik. Specifically tailored to the unique challenges posed by decentralized truck-based wastewater collection systems, the study focuses on pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2, influenza, RSV, tuberculosis, vaccine preventable disease, etc. The project integrates engineering, statistical modelling, and public health surveillance, aiming to optimize sampling techniques and analytical methods. Results will inform local public health strategies, improve infectious disease surveillance capacity, and contribute to the resilience and health of northern Indigenous communities, serving as a model applicable across similar Arctic regions.
- Community-partnered infectious disease modelling to inform COVID-19 policies and advocacy in Nunavik, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), co-investigator with PI Faiz Ahmad Khan (McGill University). This project aimed at enhancing public health response through improved disease modelling techniques specifically adapted for Nunavik. By leveraging local epidemiological data, this initiative sought to produce robust predictive models to guide health authorities' decision-making during the COVID-19 pandemic. The model incorporated regional specificities, addressing gaps in data availability, cultural considerations, and logistical constraints in remote northern communities. Outcomes included enhanced capacity for local public health teams to anticipate disease trajectories and implement timely, targeted interventions, significantly improving preparedness and response capabilities for future infectious disease threats. While initially aimed at COVID-19, the work eventually pivoted to tuberculosis.
Email: yassen.tcholakov [at] mcgill.ca
