As the clinical research coordinator, Melisa contributes to the ongoing research projects within Dr. Pant Pai’s lab and provides administrative support. She graduated from McGill University with a Bachelor of Science in Anatomy & Cell Biology major and Biotechnology minor, and has explored many multidisciplinary research avenues throughout her studies. Melisa is passionate about sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), especially among marginalized populations, as well as the opportunities that digital health innovations and strategies offer to advance health equity.

Current Students and Trainees

Ashlyn completed her B.Sc. in Honours Life Sciences, with a minor in Health, Aging, and Society, from McMaster University. She is currently working on her M.Sc. of Experimental Medicine at McGill University and hopes to pursue a career within the medical field. Her project is working on the development of HIVSmart!, with specific focus on catering the self-testing app to Indigenous communities in Canada. Ashlyn is very passionate about serving the health needs of marginalised groups and she recognizes the importance of holistic approaches to medical care and research, which she applies to her work.

Apoorva completed her Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree from Manipal University, India, and MSc Public Health degree from McGill University, Canada. Currently, Apoorva is managing a COVID-19 self-testing clinical trial in South Africa. Her reviews focus on the deployment of multiplex, point-of-care diagnostic technologies for sexually transmitted infections, as well as the use of digital self-testing innovations for hepatitis C, chlamydia, and gonorrhoea. She also works in collaboration with FIND and WHO to review data on the use of rapid antigen tests for screening of COVID-19 globally. Outside of work, Apoorva volunteers with the diagnostics sub-group of INDIA COVID SOS, an NGO committed to develop evidence based solutions to fight COVID-19, and as a Community Coordinator for WeCanVax, a project funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) to increase COVID-19 vaccine literacy in racialized and underserved immigrant communities in Montréal.