March 22, 2023: Dr. Myriam Mrad, Chairperson of the Department of Public Health at the University of Balamand, delivered a lecture at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health titled "Conducting Public Health Research in a Limited Resource Setting: Challenges and Opportunities." During her presentation, she shared her experiences conducting health research in Lebanon, highlighting the challenges she has encountered and the opportunities for collaboration and progress.

Dr. Mrad’s presentation was part of a longer knowledge exchange visit with international experts at Harvard University, aimed at scaling up local projects and enhancing collaboration between the University of Balamand and international schools.

As an expert in environmental health and the Chair of the Eastern Mediterranean Chapter of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology, Dr. Mrad's research focuses on the effects of environmental exposures, particularly air pollution, on the health of vulnerable populations in Lebanon, such as pregnant women, infants, and children. Since 2011, she has conducted several research projects in Lebanon, including the BAPHE study, the EELI study, the GeoHealth Hub for Climate Change and Health in the MENA, and REMOTE.

Dr. Mrad's lecture provided valuable insights into public health research in limited resource settings and made a significant contribution to the ongoing conversation on this topic ​.