Our Team
The iPOP Consortium is a growing, global network bridging the fields of obstetrics, neonatology, epidemiology, DOHaD, pediatrics, infectious disease, statistics, global health, intersectoral feminism, participant engagement, data science and artificial intelligence.
Study Co-Leads
Meghan Azad, PhD | @MeghanAzad | Google Scholar
Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba, Canada
Dr. Azad holds the Canada Research Chair in Developmental Origins of Chronic Disease and co-Directs the Manitoba Interdisciplinary Lactation Centre. Her research program is focused on the role of infant nutrition and the microbiome in child growth, development and resilience.
Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Child Health, University of Manitoba, Canada
Dr. Azad holds the Canada Research Chair in Developmental Origins of Chronic Disease and co-Directs the Manitoba Interdisciplinary Lactation Centre. Her research program is focused on the role of infant nutrition and the microbiome in child growth, development and resilience.
Merilee Brockway, RN, PhD | @MBrockwa | Google Scholar
Molly Towell Perinatal Research Fellow, University of Manitoba, Canada
Dr. Brockway specializes in maternal-child health and translating biomedical information to clinical practice. Currently, she is leading a clinical trial to evaluate a new method for matching donor breast milk given to very premature infants.
Molly Towell Perinatal Research Fellow, University of Manitoba, Canada
Dr. Brockway specializes in maternal-child health and translating biomedical information to clinical practice. Currently, she is leading a clinical trial to evaluate a new method for matching donor breast milk given to very premature infants.
David Burgner, MD, PhD | @BurgnerDave | Google Scholar
Senior Research Fellow, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Australia
Dr. Burgner is a Paediatric Infectious Diseases Physician at the Royal Children’s Hospital and Professorial Fellow of Paediatrics at Melbourne University. He is leading several large international data linkage studies relating to prematurity, birth outcomes, and infant and child health.
Senior Research Fellow, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Australia
Dr. Burgner is a Paediatric Infectious Diseases Physician at the Royal Children’s Hospital and Professorial Fellow of Paediatrics at Melbourne University. He is leading several large international data linkage studies relating to prematurity, birth outcomes, and infant and child health.
Natalie Rodriguez, MBA, ACC | @Nat_ABRodriguez
Program Director, Azad Lab, Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba & University of Manitoba, Canada
Natalie is an Associate Certified Coach and EQ-1 2.0 Certified Practitioner. She specialises in management, operations, capacity building, international collaboration and strategic development in translational research environments. Her current projects focus on global health, maternal & infant nutrition, and human milk composition.
Program Director, Azad Lab, Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba & University of Manitoba, Canada
Natalie is an Associate Certified Coach and EQ-1 2.0 Certified Practitioner. She specialises in management, operations, capacity building, international collaboration and strategic development in translational research environments. Her current projects focus on global health, maternal & infant nutrition, and human milk composition.
Sarah Stock, MBChB, PhD | @sarahjestock | Google Scholar
Reader and Honorary Consultant Maternal Fetal Medicine, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, UK
Dr. Stock is an Obstetrician and subspecialist in Maternal and Fetal Medicine at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, and a Wellcome Trust Clinical Career Development Fellow at the University of Edinburgh. She leads research studies into stillbirth and preterm birth, including a large international consortium studying medicines in pregnancy.
Reader and Honorary Consultant Maternal Fetal Medicine, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, UK
Dr. Stock is an Obstetrician and subspecialist in Maternal and Fetal Medicine at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, and a Wellcome Trust Clinical Career Development Fellow at the University of Edinburgh. She leads research studies into stillbirth and preterm birth, including a large international consortium studying medicines in pregnancy.
Helga Zoega, MA, PhD | @HelgaZoega | Google Scholar
Scientist Fellow, University of New South Wales Centre for Big Data Research in Health, Australia
Professor of Public Health, University of Iceland
Dr. Zoega is a pharmacoepidemiologist with expertise in utilisation and safety of medicines among pregnant women and children. Her research is primarily based on using large-scale electronic health and social data linked across sources within the five Nordic countries, recently also combined with US and Australian data sources.
Scientist Fellow, University of New South Wales Centre for Big Data Research in Health, Australia
Professor of Public Health, University of Iceland
Dr. Zoega is a pharmacoepidemiologist with expertise in utilisation and safety of medicines among pregnant women and children. Her research is primarily based on using large-scale electronic health and social data linked across sources within the five Nordic countries, recently also combined with US and Australian data sources.
Data & Infrastructure Lead
Aziz Sheikh, OBE, FRSE, FMedSci | @DrAzizSheikh | Google Scholar
Chair of Primary Care Research and Development, Director, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, UK
Dr. Sheikh is the Director of the HDR UK hub for respiratory health BREATHE and sits on the ICODA Executive Leadership Team. He is also Director of the Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research (AUKCAR), the Scottish Allergy and Respiratory Academy (SARA), the NIHR Global Respiratory Health Unit (RESPIRE) and Co-Director of the NHS Digital Academy.
Chair of Primary Care Research and Development, Director, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, UK
Dr. Sheikh is the Director of the HDR UK hub for respiratory health BREATHE and sits on the ICODA Executive Leadership Team. He is also Director of the Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research (AUKCAR), the Scottish Allergy and Respiratory Academy (SARA), the NIHR Global Respiratory Health Unit (RESPIRE) and Co-Director of the NHS Digital Academy.
Staff
Nicole Fiorentino, MSc
Project Coordinator, Azad Lab, University of Manitoba, Canada
Nicole specialises in coordination, process improvement, and capacity building in international research. Her current projects focus on global health and infant growth.
Project Coordinator, Azad Lab, University of Manitoba, Canada
Nicole specialises in coordination, process improvement, and capacity building in international research. Her current projects focus on global health and infant growth.
Karen Hunter, BSc, MLitt
Project Manager, Health Data Research UK, ICODA, UK
Karen is currently leading ICODA Driver Project 2 – the iPOP Study – facilitating access to the Alliance Workbench for the iPOP Team. She is enabling them to deliver their research aims and in turn helping to build the infrastructure and capabilities of the Alliance.
Project Manager, Health Data Research UK, ICODA, UK
Karen is currently leading ICODA Driver Project 2 – the iPOP Study – facilitating access to the Alliance Workbench for the iPOP Team. She is enabling them to deliver their research aims and in turn helping to build the infrastructure and capabilities of the Alliance.
Data Analysis Team
Jasper V. Been, MD, MPH, PhD | @JasperBeen | Google Scholar
Consultant Neonatologist, Associate Professor, Erasmus MC Sophia Children’s Hospital, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Netherlands
Dr. Been's current research interest centres on prevention of adverse health outcomes in early life, with a special focus on reducing inequalities. His expertise includes working with large-scale linkages of routinely-collected data, applying quasi-experimental methods, and undertaking comprehensive systematic reviews.
Consultant Neonatologist, Associate Professor, Erasmus MC Sophia Children’s Hospital, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Netherlands
Dr. Been's current research interest centres on prevention of adverse health outcomes in early life, with a special focus on reducing inequalities. His expertise includes working with large-scale linkages of routinely-collected data, applying quasi-experimental methods, and undertaking comprehensive systematic reviews.
Clara Calvert, PhD
Chancellors Fellow, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh & Assistant Professor, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK
Dr. Calvert is an epidemiologist who works primarily in research projects on maternal and neonatal health across Eastern and Southern Africa. She is currently working with the iPOP analysis team on data quality assessment and statistical analysis.
Chancellors Fellow, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh & Assistant Professor, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK
Dr. Calvert is an epidemiologist who works primarily in research projects on maternal and neonatal health across Eastern and Southern Africa. She is currently working with the iPOP analysis team on data quality assessment and statistical analysis.
Solmaz Eradat Oskoui, PhD
Senior Data Analyst, International Covid-19 Data Alliance (ICODA), Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, UK
Dr. Eradat Oskoui is responsible for overseeing the development and delivery of analysis plan for the iPOP Study. She has a PhD in applied mathematics from the University of St. Andrews and has over seven years of data analysis experience in academia and the private sector.
Senior Data Analyst, International Covid-19 Data Alliance (ICODA), Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, UK
Dr. Eradat Oskoui is responsible for overseeing the development and delivery of analysis plan for the iPOP Study. She has a PhD in applied mathematics from the University of St. Andrews and has over seven years of data analysis experience in academia and the private sector.
Jessica E. Miller, MPH, PhD | Google Scholar
Research Officer, Epidemiologist, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Australia
Dr. Miller is an epidemiologist with expertise in maternal/child health and paediatric infectious diseases. She works with large international data linkage studies to research prenatal and early life exposures and their relationship with child health.
Research Officer, Epidemiologist, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Australia
Dr. Miller is an epidemiologist with expertise in maternal/child health and paediatric infectious diseases. She works with large international data linkage studies to research prenatal and early life exposures and their relationship with child health.
Rachel Mulholland, MSci
BREATHE Hub Data Analyst, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, UK
Rachel has expertise in using large routine health data to evaluate the effects of COVID-19 on the healthcare capacity in Scotland. She supports the iPOP analysis team with data manipulation and statistical analysis.
BREATHE Hub Data Analyst, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, UK
Rachel has expertise in using large routine health data to evaluate the effects of COVID-19 on the healthcare capacity in Scotland. She supports the iPOP analysis team with data manipulation and statistical analysis.
Amy Racine-Poon, PhD
ICODA Statistical Expert Group, sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, supported by Cytel
Dr. Racine-Poon is an applied Bayesian Statistician. Her work experience is primarily in the pharmaceutical industry and has expertise in pharmacokinetics and pharmaco-dynamics modelling, and designs studies for developing countries with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
ICODA Statistical Expert Group, sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, supported by Cytel
Dr. Racine-Poon is an applied Bayesian Statistician. Her work experience is primarily in the pharmaceutical industry and has expertise in pharmacokinetics and pharmaco-dynamics modelling, and designs studies for developing countries with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
A. Kofi Amegah, PhD | @KofiAmegah | Google Scholar
Senior Lecturer, University of Cape Coast, Ghana
Dr. Amegah is an epidemiologist and leads a public health research group at the Department of Biomedical Sciences. His work focuses on the interface of nutritional and environmental determinants of adverse perinatal, maternal and cardiovascular health outcomes in locations of Ghana.
Senior Lecturer, University of Cape Coast, Ghana
Dr. Amegah is an epidemiologist and leads a public health research group at the Department of Biomedical Sciences. His work focuses on the interface of nutritional and environmental determinants of adverse perinatal, maternal and cardiovascular health outcomes in locations of Ghana.
Our Partners
iPOP – an ICODA Driver Project
The iPOP Study partners with The International COVID-19 Data Alliance (ICODA) as Driver Project 2 and serves to test the ICODA processes and tools. This partnership enables us to bring together data from across the globe. ICODA is convened by Health Data Research UK – the national institute for health data in the UK - and is uniting an international alliance of health data partners to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The iPOP Study partners with The International COVID-19 Data Alliance (ICODA) as Driver Project 2 and serves to test the ICODA processes and tools. This partnership enables us to bring together data from across the globe. ICODA is convened by Health Data Research UK – the national institute for health data in the UK - and is uniting an international alliance of health data partners to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
More info coming soon on the rest of the iPOP Team!
