Our Team

Professor Claudia Emerson’s work considers complex ethics issues and policy gaps in global health research. She has been working with international stakeholders in the field for over fifteen years examining issues that arise along the discovery-to-delivery pathway for health technologies and interventions. She is especially interested in ethics issues related to the introduction and adoption of novel technologies, the management of infectious disease, and data ethics and governance.

A longstanding grantee of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), Professor Emerson is the Principal Investigator of an applied ethics research and consulting program that works across the Foundation’s Global Health Division. She is also the Principal Investigator of a research program funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

After completing her first degree in biochemistry, Professor Emerson travelled extensively, which spurred her interest in bioethics as it relates to medicine and technology. This led her to complete graduate studies (MA, PhD) in Philosophy at McMaster University, and postdoctoral work at the University of Toronto. As a senior scientist with the McLaughlin-Rotman Centre for Global Health, the Sandra Rotman Centre in the University Health Network, and the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, Dr. Emerson worked with colleagues on an ethics research program funded by BMGF’s first “Grand Challenges in Global Health” initiative. In 2015, she returned to McMaster and set up the Program on Ethics & Policy for Innovation, an evolution of the Program initially created in Toronto. McMaster University launched the Institute on Ethics & Policy for Innovation (IEPI) in 2016. Professor Emerson is the Institute’s founding Director, leading a multidisciplinary team of experts in bioethics, epidemiology, public health, law, anthropology, and philosophy.

Professor Emerson serves in many advisory capacities related to public health and innovation, and most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic response. She frequently advises the World Health Organization (WHO) and is a member of several of its Working Groups having recently developed guidance on the Responsible Use of the Life Sciences (forthcoming), Ethical Conduct of Controlled Human Infection Studies (2022), and Key Criteria for the Ethical Acceptability of COVID-19 Human Challenge Studies (2020).  She was also a member of the Core Working Group that authored the Guidance Framework for Testing Genetically Modified Mosquitoes (2nd Edition, 2021).  Professor Emerson serves on the ELSI (Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications) Panel for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Programs that address evolving pathogenic and viral threats: PREEMPT (Preventing Emerging Pathogenic Threats) and INTERCEPT (Interfering and Co-evolving Prevention and Therapy).

Professor Emerson is co-developer of ‘ESC (Ethical, Social and Cultural) Thinking’, the practical approach she applies in her work, and is currently developing an ESC toolkit for teaching. She is a member of McMaster University’s Global Nexus for Pandemics and Biological Threats, an international initiative launched in September 2020.

Professor Emerson holds a BSc in Biochemistry from the University of Guelph, and a BA, MA, and PhD in Philosophy from McMaster University.

Professor Claudia Emerson’s work considers complex ethics issues and policy gaps in global health research. She has been working with international stakeholders in the field for over fifteen years examining issues that arise along the discovery-to-delivery pathway for health technologies and interventions. She is especially interested in ethics issues related to the introduction and adoption of novel technologies, the management of infectious disease, and data ethics and governance.

A longstanding grantee of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), Professor Emerson is the Principal Investigator of an applied ethics research and consulting program that works across the Foundation’s Global Health Division. She is also the Principal Investigator of a research program funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).

After completing her first degree in biochemistry, Professor Emerson travelled extensively, which spurred her interest in bioethics as it relates to medicine and technology. This led her to complete graduate studies (MA, PhD) in Philosophy at McMaster University, and postdoctoral work at the University of Toronto. As a senior scientist with the McLaughlin-Rotman Centre for Global Health, the Sandra Rotman Centre in the University Health Network, and the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, Dr. Emerson worked with colleagues on an ethics research program funded by BMGF’s first “Grand Challenges in Global Health” initiative. In 2015, she returned to McMaster and set up the Program on Ethics & Policy for Innovation, an evolution of the Program initially created in Toronto. McMaster University launched the Institute on Ethics & Policy for Innovation (IEPI) in 2016. Professor Emerson is the Institute’s founding Director, leading a multidisciplinary team of experts in bioethics, epidemiology, public health, law, anthropology, and philosophy.

Professor Emerson serves in many advisory capacities related to public health and innovation, and most recently, the COVID-19 pandemic response. She frequently advises the World Health Organization (WHO) and is a member of several of its Working Groups having recently developed guidance on the Responsible Use of the Life Sciences (forthcoming), Ethical Conduct of Controlled Human Infection Studies (2022), and Key Criteria for the Ethical Acceptability of COVID-19 Human Challenge Studies (2020).  She was also a member of the Core Working Group that authored the Guidance Framework for Testing Genetically Modified Mosquitoes (2nd Edition, 2021).  Professor Emerson serves on the ELSI (Ethical, Legal, and Social Implications) Panel for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Programs that address evolving pathogenic and viral threats: PREEMPT (Preventing Emerging Pathogenic Threats) and INTERCEPT (Interfering and Co-evolving Prevention and Therapy).

Professor Emerson is co-developer of ‘ESC (Ethical, Social and Cultural) Thinking’, the practical approach she applies in her work, and is currently developing an ESC toolkit for teaching. She is a member of McMaster University’s Global Nexus for Pandemics and Biological Threats, an international initiative launched in September 2020.

Professor Emerson holds a BSc in Biochemistry from the University of Guelph, and a BA, MA, and PhD in Philosophy from McMaster University.

Travis Ramsay is the Research Program Manager at the Institute on Ethics & Policy for Innovation (IEPI), where he leads and coordinates research projects at the intersection of biotechnology policy, global health governance, and applied ethics. His work spans the full arc of the research enterprise — from project design and stakeholder engagement to knowledge translation and policy-relevant output.

Travis’ research interests include gene drive and vector control technologies, infectious disease managment, and the ethical and institutional dimensions of emerging biotechnologies. He brings particular expertise to questions of regulatory readiness, country-level governance capacity, and responsible innovation for technologies with transformative potential.

Travis holds Bachelor of Arts Degrees in Philosophy and Labour Studies, as well as a Master of Arts in Philosophy from McMaster University.

Travis Ramsay is the Research Program Manager at the Institute on Ethics & Policy for Innovation (IEPI), where he leads and coordinates research projects at the intersection of biotechnology policy, global health governance, and applied ethics. His work spans the full arc of the research enterprise — from project design and stakeholder engagement to knowledge translation and policy-relevant output.

Travis’ research interests include gene drive and vector control technologies, infectious disease managment, and the ethical and institutional dimensions of emerging biotechnologies. He brings particular expertise to questions of regulatory readiness, country-level governance capacity, and responsible innovation for technologies with transformative potential.

Travis holds Bachelor of Arts Degrees in Philosophy and Labour Studies, as well as a Master of Arts in Philosophy from McMaster University.

Fil Randazzo is currently Founder and CEO Leverage Science. Leverage Science helps funders, investors and innovators identify big ideas and turn them to reality. He is a Senior Advisor at the Institute on Ethics & Policy for Innovation (IEPI).

Previously, Fil served as a Deputy Director at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). During his 12.5-year tenure at BMGF, he actively participated in its rapid growth from a small startup to a 1500 employee institution and was part of a management team that oversaw >$2B in investments. Fil co-launched and co-managed the Grand Challenges in Global Health Initiative, which in 2005 established the standard on how BMGF sources, funds and manages innovation. Fil directly managed a $600M investment portfolio which spanned areas such as health, agriculture, education, and policy. His portfolio included some of BMGF’s biggest success stories including Wolbachia based dengue prevention.

From 1994-2004, Fil served a variety of scientific roles at the Chiron Corporation in Emeryville, CA. He earned a Ph.D. in Molecular, Cellular and Development Biology at Indiana University, Bloomington and B.S. in Microbiology and Anthropology from the University of Notre Dame.

Fil Randazzo is currently Founder and CEO Leverage Science. Leverage Science helps funders, investors and innovators identify big ideas and turn them to reality. He is a Senior Advisor at the Institute on Ethics & Policy for Innovation (IEPI).

Previously, Fil served as a Deputy Director at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). During his 12.5-year tenure at BMGF, he actively participated in its rapid growth from a small startup to a 1500 employee institution and was part of a management team that oversaw >$2B in investments. Fil co-launched and co-managed the Grand Challenges in Global Health Initiative, which in 2005 established the standard on how BMGF sources, funds and manages innovation. Fil directly managed a $600M investment portfolio which spanned areas such as health, agriculture, education, and policy. His portfolio included some of BMGF’s biggest success stories including Wolbachia based dengue prevention.

From 1994-2004, Fil served a variety of scientific roles at the Chiron Corporation in Emeryville, CA. He earned a Ph.D. in Molecular, Cellular and Development Biology at Indiana University, Bloomington and B.S. in Microbiology and Anthropology from the University of Notre Dame.

Aggrey Ambali, PhD; FAAS, is serving as a Senior Policy Advisor at the Institute on Ethics and Policy for Innovation (IEPI), McMaster University.

He previously served in several positions at the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) including Senior Advisor on Science, Technology and Innovation; Supervisor of the Technical Cooperation and Program Fund Directorate; Director of the Policy Alignment and Program Development, Head of Science, Technology and Innovation Hub (NSTIH) where he led the   development, resource mobilization and implementation of programs in health, education and science and technology.

Aggrey Ambali has been a senior leader in agenda setting and strategy development in science, technology and innovation at the African Union level. He coordinated the development of the African Union Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa 2014-2024 (STISA 2024); collaborated in the operationalization of key programmes in Africa, including the Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa (AESA); Grand Challenges Africa; Africa Integrated Vector Management (Africa-IVM); African Medicines Agency (AMA); and regional harmonization and capacity strengthening of regulatory systems in agriculture and health. He coordinated three high level science panels at the African Union level namely, the African Union High Level Panel on Emerging Technologies (APET) from 2016 to 2020; African Union High Level Panel on Science, Technology and Innovation from 2012 to 2014; and African Union High Level Panel on Modern Biotechnology from 2005 to 2007. Prior to joining the African Union, Aggrey Ambali served as a Professor of Biology at the University of Malawi.

He holds a PhD in Biological Sciences (Population Genetics) from Dalhousie University and is a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences.

Aggrey Ambali, PhD; FAAS, is serving as a Senior Policy Advisor at the Institute on Ethics and Policy for Innovation (IEPI), McMaster University.

He previously served in several positions at the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) including Senior Advisor on Science, Technology and Innovation; Supervisor of the Technical Cooperation and Program Fund Directorate; Director of the Policy Alignment and Program Development, Head of Science, Technology and Innovation Hub (NSTIH) where he led the   development, resource mobilization and implementation of programs in health, education and science and technology.

Aggrey Ambali has been a senior leader in agenda setting and strategy development in science, technology and innovation at the African Union level. He coordinated the development of the African Union Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa 2014-2024 (STISA 2024); collaborated in the operationalization of key programmes in Africa, including the Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa (AESA); Grand Challenges Africa; Africa Integrated Vector Management (Africa-IVM); African Medicines Agency (AMA); and regional harmonization and capacity strengthening of regulatory systems in agriculture and health. He coordinated three high level science panels at the African Union level namely, the African Union High Level Panel on Emerging Technologies (APET) from 2016 to 2020; African Union High Level Panel on Science, Technology and Innovation from 2012 to 2014; and African Union High Level Panel on Modern Biotechnology from 2005 to 2007. Prior to joining the African Union, Aggrey Ambali served as a Professor of Biology at the University of Malawi.

He holds a PhD in Biological Sciences (Population Genetics) from Dalhousie University and is a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences.

Dr. Kristy Hackett is a Global Health Researcher and Consultant with multidisciplinary training in public health and social sciences, and over a decade of experience working with colleagues in the Global South.

Dr. Hackett’s areas of expertise include reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH); sexual and reproductive health (SRH); and the use of digital health technologies to strengthen health systems. She has led research projects based in Africa, South Asia, and North America on a range of topics including infant feeding and nutrition, mobile/digital health, human resources for health, and access to safe pregnancy, childbirth and family planning services. Dr. Hackett has extensive applied research experience in program evaluation and implementation science, with an emphasis on fostering partnerships between academic institutions, donors, nongovernmental organizations, and ministries of health to support evidence-informed programming and policy making. She has worked with numerous organizations to improve the delivery of health services and interventions, including the World Health Organization, FHI360, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), BRAC, World Vision, Canadian Red Cross, the Aga Khan Foundation, and the Early Child Development Action Network (ECDAN).

Dr. Hackett worked as a Research Associate in the Department of Global Health and Population at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, where she collaborated with academic partners at Aga Khan University to evaluate a large community-based reproductive health program in Pakistan. Prior to this, Dr. Hackett was a Research Associate at the Centre for Global Child Health at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. In this role she collaborated with program implementers to develop evidence-based monitoring and evaluation strategies, and designed implementation research projects to improve the design and delivery of RMNCAH programs in Kenya, Mali, and Pakistan.

Dr. Hackett holds a Doctor of Philosophy from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, a Master of Science in Medical Anthropology from the University of Toronto, and an Honours Bachelor of Science from McMaster University. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at McMaster University, and holds a status-only faculty appointment in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health (Epidemiology Division) at the University of Toronto.

A complete list of Dr. Hackett’s publications can be found here.

Dr. Kristy Hackett is a Global Health Researcher and Consultant with multidisciplinary training in public health and social sciences, and over a decade of experience working with colleagues in the Global South.

Dr. Hackett’s areas of expertise include reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH); sexual and reproductive health (SRH); and the use of digital health technologies to strengthen health systems. She has led research projects based in Africa, South Asia, and North America on a range of topics including infant feeding and nutrition, mobile/digital health, human resources for health, and access to safe pregnancy, childbirth and family planning services. Dr. Hackett has extensive applied research experience in program evaluation and implementation science, with an emphasis on fostering partnerships between academic institutions, donors, nongovernmental organizations, and ministries of health to support evidence-informed programming and policy making. She has worked with numerous organizations to improve the delivery of health services and interventions, including the World Health Organization, FHI360, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), BRAC, World Vision, Canadian Red Cross, the Aga Khan Foundation, and the Early Child Development Action Network (ECDAN).

Dr. Hackett worked as a Research Associate in the Department of Global Health and Population at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, where she collaborated with academic partners at Aga Khan University to evaluate a large community-based reproductive health program in Pakistan. Prior to this, Dr. Hackett was a Research Associate at the Centre for Global Child Health at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. In this role she collaborated with program implementers to develop evidence-based monitoring and evaluation strategies, and designed implementation research projects to improve the design and delivery of RMNCAH programs in Kenya, Mali, and Pakistan.

Dr. Hackett holds a Doctor of Philosophy from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto, a Master of Science in Medical Anthropology from the University of Toronto, and an Honours Bachelor of Science from McMaster University. She is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at McMaster University, and holds a status-only faculty appointment in the Dalla Lana School of Public Health (Epidemiology Division) at the University of Toronto.

A complete list of Dr. Hackett’s publications can be found here.

Dr. Khadija Begum is a Global Health and Nutrition Researcher with over a decade of experience working at the intersection of research, policy and programs with multiple international development organizations and academic institutions.

Dr. Begum worked with University of Toronto in leading evaluation of a Global Affairs Canada (GAC) funded health & nutrition project in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Kenya and Tanzania (2016-2022). In between, she also worked with HealthBridge Foundation of Canada to provide technical support in design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of health system strengthening projects in Nepal, Vietnam, & Tanzania including training facilitation and stakeholder engagements. Dr. Begum worked briefly with Nutrition International (NI) for data quality assurance of household surveys in Kenya, Nigeria, and Senegal. Her consultancy work with Asian Development Bank (ADB) focused on data analysis and reporting of household survey conducted for urban primary health care services delivery project (UPHCSDP-II) in Bangladesh and assessing the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on health and nutritional status of urban slum dwellers.

Previously, Dr. Begum was employed at the International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh and worked closely with government and other partners for strengthening health system, improving quality of care, promoting health service utilization, and supporting national scale-up of health projects in Bangladesh. She also led design and execution of a prospective validation study on ‘measuring correct treatment of childhood pneumonia’ in Bangladesh with technical support from Child Health Epidemiology Reference Group (CHERG) funded through U.S. fund for UNICEF from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).

Throughout her research career, Dr. Begum collaborated with many organizations including Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, University of Edinburgh, WHO, UNICEF, BRAC, International Development Research Centre (IDRC), World Vision Canada (WVC), Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Aga Khan University (AKU), University of Dar-es-Salaam, Ifakara Health Institute (IHI), Egerton University (EU), and International Nepal Fellowship (INF).

Dr. Begum holds a Bachelor degree in medicine (MBBS) from the University of Chittagong, Bangladesh, a Master’s in Public Health from the University of New South Wales, Australia and a PhD in Nutritional Biology from the University of California, Davis.

Dr. Begum’s research interests evolve around maternal, newborn and child health, sexual and reproductive health, infant and young child feeding including breastfeeding, child malnutrition and infectious diseases, health system strengthening, socio-cultural and gender barriers in health service, M&E of health programs, and maximal use of research data in policy decisions. In the era of COVID-19 pandemic in an increasingly digital world, Dr. Begum is very passionate about implementation of global public health research and practice that respects ethical values and secures public trust.

Dr. Khadija Begum is a Global Health and Nutrition Researcher with over a decade of experience working at the intersection of research, policy and programs with multiple international development organizations and academic institutions.

Dr. Begum worked with University of Toronto in leading evaluation of a Global Affairs Canada (GAC) funded health & nutrition project in Bangladesh, Pakistan, Kenya and Tanzania (2016-2022). In between, she also worked with HealthBridge Foundation of Canada to provide technical support in design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of health system strengthening projects in Nepal, Vietnam, & Tanzania including training facilitation and stakeholder engagements. Dr. Begum worked briefly with Nutrition International (NI) for data quality assurance of household surveys in Kenya, Nigeria, and Senegal. Her consultancy work with Asian Development Bank (ADB) focused on data analysis and reporting of household survey conducted for urban primary health care services delivery project (UPHCSDP-II) in Bangladesh and assessing the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on health and nutritional status of urban slum dwellers.

Previously, Dr. Begum was employed at the International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh and worked closely with government and other partners for strengthening health system, improving quality of care, promoting health service utilization, and supporting national scale-up of health projects in Bangladesh. She also led design and execution of a prospective validation study on ‘measuring correct treatment of childhood pneumonia’ in Bangladesh with technical support from Child Health Epidemiology Reference Group (CHERG) funded through U.S. fund for UNICEF from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).

Throughout her research career, Dr. Begum collaborated with many organizations including Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, University of Edinburgh, WHO, UNICEF, BRAC, International Development Research Centre (IDRC), World Vision Canada (WVC), Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), Aga Khan University (AKU), University of Dar-es-Salaam, Ifakara Health Institute (IHI), Egerton University (EU), and International Nepal Fellowship (INF).

Dr. Begum holds a Bachelor degree in medicine (MBBS) from the University of Chittagong, Bangladesh, a Master’s in Public Health from the University of New South Wales, Australia and a PhD in Nutritional Biology from the University of California, Davis.

Dr. Begum’s research interests evolve around maternal, newborn and child health, sexual and reproductive health, infant and young child feeding including breastfeeding, child malnutrition and infectious diseases, health system strengthening, socio-cultural and gender barriers in health service, M&E of health programs, and maximal use of research data in policy decisions. In the era of COVID-19 pandemic in an increasingly digital world, Dr. Begum is very passionate about implementation of global public health research and practice that respects ethical values and secures public trust.