COVID-19 Expert Panel

The Chief Science Advisor of Canada (CSA) has assembled a multidisciplinary science expert panel to advise her on the latest scientific developments relevant to COVID-19. This information will assist the CSA in providing current and cross-disciplinary advice to the Prime Minister and government.

The expert group is composed of distinguished Canadian scientists and will be meeting on a regular basis. The first meeting took place on March 10 to discuss available science and evidence from disease modelling, risk perception, diagnostic and clinical research.

The primary federal authoritative source of information for all Canadians on COVID-19 is Canada.ca/coronavirus, as well as the COVID-19 Information Line at 1-833-784-4397. Canadians should refer to these resources for regularly updated information and guidance.

Science Expert Panel Members

Disease modelling

  • Caroline Colijn PhD, Simon Fraser University
  • Daniel Coombs PhD, University of British Columbia
  • Kamran Khan MD, St Michael's Hospital and BlueDot (until December 13, 2021)
  • Babak Pourbohloul Ph. D., PhD, Complexiscope Consulting Inc. (until April 10, 2020)

Risk and behavioural sciences

Biomedical and clinical sciences

  • Deborah Cook MD, McMaster University (until December 13, 2021)
  • Maziar Divangahi PhD, McGill University
  • Eleanor Fish PhD, University of Toronto (as of April 23, 2021)
  • Matthew Gilmour PhD, Public Health Agency of Canada (until May 19, 2020)
  • Gary Kobinger PhD, Université Laval (until August 30, 2021)
  • Joanne Langley MD, Dalhousie University
  • Salaheddin Mahmud MD, PhD, University of Manitoba (as of April 23, 2021)
  • Allison McGeer MD, Mount Sinai Hospital
  • Samira Mubareka MD, Sunnybrook Research Institute
  • Guillaume Poliquin MD PhD, Public Health Agency of Canada (as of May 19, 2020)
  • Caroline Quach MD, Université de Montréal
  • Supriya Sharma MD, Health Canada
  • Cara Tannenbaum MD, Université de Montréal, Health Canada Departmental Science Advisor