Principal Investigator
Hugh W. Davies, PhD, CIH
Professor, Occupational and Environmental Health Division, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC)
Prof. Davies is a Professor of Occupational and Environmental Health in UBC’s School of Population and Public Health. He is also affiliated with the Occupational Cancer Research Center in Toronto, and is a board-certified industrial hygienist. Dr. Davies’ research is primarily focused on risk assessment in the occupational environment. He is currently leading projects investigating occupational exposure of healthcare workers to anti-neoplastic drugs and to occupational exposure to illicit drugs. He is a widely recognized expert on the non-auditory health effects of noise. Prof. Davies is currently a member of the ACGIH Chemical Substances TLV Committee, and is the past President of the Canadian Association for Research on Work and Health (CARWH).
Co-Investigators
Susan Arnold
Associate Professor at the Division of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Minnesota, US
Dr. Susan Arnold is an Associate Professor at the Division of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Minnesota. She specializes in developing and applying exposure assessment methods for chemical, biological, and radiological agents in occupational settings. As a certified industrial hygienist, Dr. Arnold brings over 20 years of experience in professional practice to her research and teaching. She directs the Midwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety and the Exposure Science and Sustainability Institute, focusing on advancing health and safety in workplaces through interdisciplinary collaboration.
For more information, visit Susan Arnold’s profile.
George Astrakianakis
Adjunct Professor at the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC)
Dr. George Astrakianakis, PhD, MEng, BEng, is an international Occupational Health and Safety policy expert, Co–chair of Canada’s pandemic infectious disease policy plan: Prevention and Control of Influenza during a Pandemic for All Healthcare Settings, and former Director of Disease Prevention of the Occupational Health and Safety Agency for Healthcare and an Adjunct Professor at the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia. With a PhD in Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, and degrees in Chemical and Mechanical Engineering his experience includes: nearly 30 years of evaluating health hazards in the workplace with more than half of that time focused on healthcare; working as an Affiliated Investigator with the Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute and with Evaluation and Research for the Fraser Health Authority. He currently serves as a committee member on the Prevention and Control of Occupational Infections in Health Care Guideline Revision Working Group for the Public Health Agency of Canada, and the Provincial Infection Control Network on their Guidelines Steering Committee.
Cheryl Peters
Assistant Professor (Partner) PhD, School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC)
Dr. Cheryl Peters is a Senior Scientist (Cancer Prevention) at BCCDC and BC Cancer. She is also an Assistant Professor at the School of Population & Public Health at UBC, and in Oncology and Community Health Sciences at the University of Calgary.
Dr. Peters’ research is centered around the prevention of occupational and environmental chronic diseases, especially cancer. She is trained as an occupational hygienist and epidemiologist. Her research interests include occupational disease prevention, environmental cancers, knowledge translation, the impact of sex and gender on exposures, and health literacy (specifically surrounding health misinformation).
Staff
Mathew Jeronimo
Laboratory Manager, Occupational and Environmental Health Lab, School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC)
Matty Jeronimo is an analytical chemist and the laboratory manager of the Occupational and Environmental Health Lab within the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia. His work focuses on developing sampling and detection methods for occupational and environmental health. He has previously led and published research on methods for antineoplastic drugs surface sampling, airborne illicit drugs, optical detection of black carbon, and analysis of emerging organic contaminants in water.
Somaya Iqubal
Research Coordinator, Occupational and Environmental Health Division, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC)
Somaya Iqubal is a globally experienced development professional with a dual Master’s in Public Management (Global Health) and Social Work. With over seven years of cross-sectoral experience spanning Canada, India, Cambodia, and South Korea, she brings expertise in public health, social policy research, program evaluation, and passionate advocate for inclusive, evidence-based social change.
Misha Zvekic
Laboratory Technician, Occupational and Environmental Health Lab, School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC)
Misha completed a Master’s degree in analytical chemistry from the University of Victoria and a double major in biology and chemistry from Vancouver Island University. Before joining the OEH lab, Misha worked in the Applied Environmental Research Lab at VIU, studying environmental contaminants in rivers, on microplastics, and in sixgill sharks using mass spectrometry. In the OEH lab, Misha uses mass spec to help study incidental exposure to illicit and antineoplastic chemotherapy drugs. When not in the lab, Misha is listening to live music, making little animals from clay, or daydreaming about the medieval time period.
Graduate Students and Research Assistants
Zoe Dong
Research Assistant, Occupational and Environmental Health Lab, School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC)
Zoe is a research assistant at the OEH Lab. She has recently completed her bachelor’s degree in Behavourial Neuroscience at UBC and will be pursuing a MPH in Epidemiology at Yale University in the coming term. At OEH Lab, Zoe mainly assists with the preparation of materials for various projects studying exposure to airborne illicit drugs and antineoplastic chemotherapy drugs. In addition, she also helps with organization in the lab and data logging.
Emily Meier
MSc Student, Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC)
Emily Meier is a Master of Science student in Occupational and Environmental Hygiene with a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology. She is passionate about preventing musculoskeletal injuries through the application of ergonomic principles in the workplace. Emily brings practical experience from a variety of sectors, including agriculture, oil and gas, and live entertainment, as well as a formative internship as a return-to-work planner with WorkSafeBC. These experiences inform much of her approach in research and commitment to improving worker health and safety.
Her current research focuses on the impact of vehicle seat ergonomics on lower back pain among professional drivers, aiming to identify key seat fit considerations that promote comfort and reduce injury risk. Outside of her academic work, Emily is an avid rugby player and enjoys staying active through gym training, hiking, and spending time with friends.
Atul Aravindakshan
PhD Student, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia (Vancouver, BC)
Atul is currently pursuing his doctoral studies in the School of Population and Public Health at the University of British Columbia. He completed his Master of Public Health (MPH) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, focusing on Epidemiologic and Biostatistical methods, along with certificates in Risk Sciences and Public Policy, and Environmental and Occupational Health. He also obtained his dental degree from the Dr. D.Y. Patil University in India. Atul is currently working on projects which investigate the association of environmental exposures with chronic outcomes like cancer and hearing loss. Previously, his research focused on studying metal exposure from the use of e-cigarettes.
