Call out: Expertise in Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1)

On this page

• Expert Roster for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1)
• Why A(H5N1)
• Expertise sought
• How to apply
• Selection process
• Terms and conditions
• Questions

Expert Roster for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1)

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is creating a roster of public health science experts that can be called upon for expert science advice, when needed, to complement internal science expertise. The Expert Roster for the Public Health Agency of Canada will ensure that experts are engaged through a transparent process that considers their skills and Canada's diversity in terms of gender, ethnicity, regions, Indigenous groups, racialized communities and official languages.

This first pan-Canadian call out will establish a roster of scientists with expertise related to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1).

While a PHAC Expert Panel on Avian Influenza A(H5Nx) has been established, this call out may be used to identify additional experts with relevant backgrounds to provide science advice.

Why A(H5N1)

H5N1 represents an emerging public health issue best addressed through a One Health approach. While the PHAC mandate focusses on human health, PHAC takes a One Health approach in collaboration with partners.

Science experts in influenza, including zoonotic influenzas and related fields, have essential expertise which is transferrable across pandemic-potential pathogens of concern.

This expert knowledge is required as:

• HPAI A(H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4b continues to evolve and spread globally in wild and domestic birds, with significant spillover into many different mammal species. Although human cases remain rare, many viruses isolated from mammals contain genetic markers of importance for mammal/human adaptation.
• The World Health Organization has recently reiterated a heightened global concern about the need for influenza pandemic preparedness at all levels.

Expertise sought

For the purposes of establishing the Expert Roster for the Public Health Agency of Canada, PHAC is seeking submissions from people with a minimum of 10 years' experience working in public health or other relevant fields of expertise, and at least five years' experience working in one or more of the listed primary specializations (listed alphabetically below, not in order of importance). While the Agency's initial topic of interest is HPAI A(H5N1), you may register your expertise in any of the listed primary specializations:

Primary specializations

• Antimicrobial resistance and stewardship
• Biosecurity
• Chronic diseases and conditions
• Environmental health and climate change
• Epidemic intelligence
• Epidemiology and surveillance in public health
• Equity, human rights and gender in public health
• Ethics
• Foodborne, waterborne diseases and food safety
• Genomics
• Health behaviour and risk
• Health care associated infections
• Health disparities and health equity
• Health economics
• Health informatics
• Health law
• Human medicine
• Immunity and immunization
• Indigenous health
• Infection prevention and control
• Informatics
• Maternal and child health
• Occupational safety and health
• One Health
• Outbreak investigation
• Pharmacology and medical countermeasures
• Psychology
• Public health microbiology and laboratory science
• Public health policy, economics, planning and partnerships
• Respiratory disease
• Sexually transmitted and bloodborne infections
• Social determinants of health
• Social science
• Substance use and related harms
• Tropical medicine and hygiene
• Veterinary medicine
• Virology
• Zoonotic and vector borne diseases
• Other

How to apply

Those meeting the experience criteria are invited to complete the Government of Canada (GC) form, provided in the link above. It is a secure, fillable and accessible form. The submission process takes approximately 10 to 15 minutes to complete.

You can request access to your information at any time to verify or update content. After submitting the GC form, you will receive an email containing instructions for submitting your CV and a Declaration of Affiliations and Interests.

Important notes before getting started

Once a submission is started, it needs to be completed in its entirety. There is no option to save. The following information will be needed for your submission:

• Personal information (name, address, contact information)
• Professional competencies (areas of expertise and research, including years of experience)
• Education
• Employment/affiliations
• CV
• Language skills
• Demographic information for equity, diversity, and inclusion purposes
• Declaration of Affiliations and Interests

Selection process

Your submission will be reviewed by the PHAC's Office of the Chief Science Officer.

Expert selection will be at PHAC's discretion, taking into account the combined assessment of education, professional experience, research, publication record, teaching and other science-related activities, and considerations of equity, diversity and inclusion.

Profiles will be reviewed for completeness and alignment with the call out. You will be contacted should additional information be required, your advice is being sought or both.

Terms and conditions

Interested persons must declare any real, potential or apparent conflicts of interest by completing and submitting a Declaration of Affiliations and Interests form. All declarations will be re-verified if or when expert advice is sought.

Individuals must represent themselves in any submission and not submit as representatives of any organization, including governments, commercial industries, research entities, academia, civil society organizations, or any other institutions.

PHAC reserves the right to accept or reject any expression of interest, to annul the call out process and reject all submissions at any time without incurring any liability to the affected applicant or applicants and without any obligation to inform the affected applicant or applicants of the grounds for these actions.

Experts who complete a submission to the Expert Roster for the Public Health Agency of Canada are doing so on a voluntary basis without any remuneration.

Should your suitability be identified to provide expert advice on a topic other than that of this call out, it is presumed that you agree to be considered, contacted or both.

Questions

Should you need more information, refer to the expert roster initiative page. If you still have questions, contact OCSOEngagement.BCSC@phac-aspc.gc.ca with the subject line "Call Out HPAI".

Get additional information on the expert roster.