Sustainable Food Systems and Global Health

Sabrina Rimouche is pursuing her PhD in nutrition at the Université de Montréal under Professor Jean-Claude Moubarac's supervision at the Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique (CReSP). With a Bachelor's in Biomedical Sciences from Monash University and a Master's in Public Health specializing in Global Health from the Université de Montréal, she focuses her research on the economic, environmental, and political impacts of ultra-processed foods. Her work includes collaborations with the Heart and Stroke Foundation to study impacts on Canadian farmers' incomes and with CIRAIG to develop new food sustainability assessment methods. Her experience includes valuable work at the FAO headquarters on sustainable food systems and non-communicable disease prevention policies. She dedicates her research to finding innovative solutions for contemporary food challenges, emphasizing practices that benefit human health, animal welfare, and environmental sustainability.

Louna Maria Hardan is pursuing her Master's degree at the Université de Montréal's Department of Nutrition under Dr. Malek Batal's supervision within CIENS. Following her bachelor's degree in nutrition from the same university, she has focused her research on examining the impact of front-of-pack labeling on food quality in Quito, Ecuador. Her professional experience includes a significant internship with the United Nations High-Level Panel on Food Security and Nutrition, where she developed expertise in food systems, food security, and public policy. As a registered dietitian, she combines her clinical knowledge with research interests in public health nutrition, particularly focusing on how food labeling policies can influence population health outcomes and consumer behavior.

Bana Salameh serves as Research Coordinator at the Canada Research Chair in Nutrition and Health Inequalities at the Université de Montréal. With a B.Sc. in dietetics from McGill University and an M.Sc. in Public Health from the Université de Montréal, she combines her expertise as a registered dietitian with research on sustainable food systems. She currently coordinates a significant research project in Ecuador focused on evaluating alternative food networks to address diabetes and hypertension

Malek Batal serves as a Professor at the Université de Montréal's Faculty of Medicine and Director of the WHO-Collaborating Centre on Nutrition Changes and Development (TRANSNUT). Born in Lebanon, he came to Canada in 1993 with degrees in human nutrition, dietetics, and food science from the American University of Beirut, later earning his PhD in Human Nutrition from McGill University. His research focuses on food security, nutrition inequalities, and Indigenous health, leading him to work extensively with First Nations communities across Canada. As holder of the Canada Research Chair in Nutrition and Health Inequalities and Fellow of both the Royal Society of Canada and Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, he studies the connections between environmental health, food systems, and population wellbeing. His early career included significant work in Canada's Far North, where he studied traditional Indigenous foods. Currently, he leads several international projects, including initiatives in Ecuador and Haiti, while teaching courses like "Nutrition, Health and Society" at UdeM. His approach emphasizes participatory research and practical applications of findings to influence public policy and address health inequities