Patel, Prital
PhD
Academic Rank(s): Clinical Assistant Professor, UBC, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine | Senior Scientist, Public Health
Affiliation(s): BCCDC
Clinical Interests: Public Health Surveillance; Data Integration; Social Determinants of Health; Health Equity; Implementation Science
Dr Patel holds a PhD in Medical BioPhysics from the University of Toronto. At the University of New South Wales, Dr Patel worked as a senior scientist and data consultant for the National First Nations Molecular Point of Care Testing Program, focusing on provide access to testing to remote and regional Indigenous communities in Australia. Dr Patel has previously contributed her expertise at the Kirby Institute, where she worked extensively with big data to monitor progress of the state-wide HIV and STI strategies. Furthermore, she took a lead role in developing protocols for the evaluation and implementation of programs, particularly in the field of STI/BBV e-testing platforms and the expansion of Point of Care diagnostic testing. Dr Patel is currently a senior scientist at the BCCDC working on respiratory infection monitoring and data integration to create public health insights. Dr Patel is also a clinical assistant professor at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, in the department of Laboratory and Pathology Medicine, and an adjunct lecturer at the University of New South Wales, Australia.
Academic Background
- PhD, Medical BioPhysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, 2017
- BSc with Honours, Biology, York University, 2009
Awards and Recognition
Publications
For publication and citations, see: ORCiD
Research Interest
- Enhancing real-time surveillance capabilities through efficient, quality assured data integration to understand disease spread, model health care outcomes, and understand impacts of public health interventions.
- Understanding the impacts of social determinants of health on access and outcomes in marginalized communities in order to identify gaps and eradicate inequities.
- Understanding the effectiveness of public health interventions and their implementation using implementation science methodologies to facilitate uptake of evidence-based interventions.
Current Projects In My Lab Include
Teaching Interest
Dr. Patel is committed to mentoring and supervising students and early-career researchers in infectious disease epidemiology and public health surveillance. She has extensive experience guiding students through research projects related to HIV, STIs, and COVID-19, with particular emphasis on developing skills in data collection, analysis, and interpretation. Dr. Patel focuses on fostering independent research capabilities in her mentees while providing them with hands-on experience in public health interventions and surveillance systems.