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Dr. Matthew Miller is Executive Director of Global Nexus and the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research at McMaster University. He also serves as Co-Director of Canadian Pandemic Preparedness Hub (CP2H). Dr. Miller holds a Canada Research Chair in Viral Pandemics. He was recruited to McMaster University in 2014 as an Assistant Professor and has authored over 80 peer-reviewed publications. He has received several major awards, including a CIHR New Investigator Award, the CIHR Bhagirath Singh Early Career Award in Infection and Immunity, and an Early Researcher Award from the Government of Ontario, and a Distinguished Alumni Award for Excellence in Basic Science from Western University.

Dr. Miller’s research program is focused primarily on pandemic prevention, especially the development of broadly-protective vaccines, antibodies, and therapeutics. He sits the scientific advisory board of several major vaccine manufacturers, including Seqirus, Pfizer, and Sanofi. He is a member of the Canadian National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) COVID-19 Working Group and Committee to Advise on Tropical Medicine and Travel (CATMAT), the Federal Variants-of-Concern Leadership Group, the Federal Pandemic Science Coordination and Action Group, and the PHAC Expert Panel on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).  He served as Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Society for Virology from 2021-2022.

Dr. Matthew Miller is Executive Director of Global Nexus and the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research at McMaster University. He also serves as Co-Director of Canadian Pandemic Preparedness Hub (CP2H). Dr. Miller holds a Canada Research Chair in Viral Pandemics. He was recruited to McMaster University in 2014 as an Assistant Professor and has authored over 80 peer-reviewed publications. He has received several major awards, including a CIHR New Investigator Award, the CIHR Bhagirath Singh Early Career Award in Infection and Immunity, and an Early Researcher Award from the Government of Ontario, and a Distinguished Alumni Award for Excellence in Basic Science from Western University.

Dr. Miller’s research program is focused primarily on pandemic prevention, especially the development of broadly-protective vaccines, antibodies, and therapeutics. He sits the scientific advisory board of several major vaccine manufacturers, including Seqirus, Pfizer, and Sanofi. He is a member of the Canadian National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) COVID-19 Working Group and Committee to Advise on Tropical Medicine and Travel (CATMAT), the Federal Variants-of-Concern Leadership Group, the Federal Pandemic Science Coordination and Action Group, and the PHAC Expert Panel on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).  He served as Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Society for Virology from 2021-2022.

Blake Dillon is a communications specialist with a diverse background in journalism, graphic design, and web development. He joined Global Nexus in 2023 after leading the communications strategy for the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research (IIDR) throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Blake brings to the team a range of key communications skills and experiences, including many that are extremely relevant to the mandates of Global Nexus. For instance, he recently led the communications strategy for a Public Health Agency of Canada-funded antimicrobial resistance project and an industry-funded antibiotic access project.

Blake Dillon is a communications specialist with a diverse background in journalism, graphic design, and web development. He joined Global Nexus in 2023 after leading the communications strategy for the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research (IIDR) throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Blake brings to the team a range of key communications skills and experiences, including many that are extremely relevant to the mandates of Global Nexus. For instance, he recently led the communications strategy for a Public Health Agency of Canada-funded antimicrobial resistance project and an industry-funded antibiotic access project.

Courtny Vandervelde is Director, Development for Global Nexus at McMaster University. Courtny is a donor-centric development leader with over 15 years of experience in the philanthropic space. Courtny is a creative and strategic thinker with demonstrated skills in collaboration with senior staff and volunteers. Prior to joining the Global Nexus team, Courtny was a Director of Major Gifts for The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, tasked with raising funds for various cancer care and research initiatives. Courtny’s work focused on multiple disease sites and programs, including breast, gynaecology, joint department of medical imaging, laboratory medicine, neuro-oncology, and others. In 2023, Courtny was awarded the 40 Under 40, by the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP), which recognizes 40 professionals each year who have helped shape the future of healthcare philanthropy. Her advancement leadership experience in a large, complex healthcare setting is instrumental to the Global Nexus mission.

Courtny Vandervelde is Director, Development for Global Nexus at McMaster University. Courtny is a donor-centric development leader with over 15 years of experience in the philanthropic space. Courtny is a creative and strategic thinker with demonstrated skills in collaboration with senior staff and volunteers. Prior to joining the Global Nexus team, Courtny was a Director of Major Gifts for The Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, tasked with raising funds for various cancer care and research initiatives. Courtny’s work focused on multiple disease sites and programs, including breast, gynaecology, joint department of medical imaging, laboratory medicine, neuro-oncology, and others. In 2023, Courtny was awarded the 40 Under 40, by the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP), which recognizes 40 professionals each year who have helped shape the future of healthcare philanthropy. Her advancement leadership experience in a large, complex healthcare setting is instrumental to the Global Nexus mission.

Dr. Matthew Miller is Executive Director of Global Nexus and the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research at McMaster University. He also serves as Co-Director of Canadian Pandemic Preparedness Hub (CP2H). Dr. Miller holds a Canada Research Chair in Viral Pandemics. He was recruited to McMaster University in 2014 as an Assistant Professor and has authored over 80 peer-reviewed publications. He has received several major awards, including a CIHR New Investigator Award, the CIHR Bhagirath Singh Early Career Award in Infection and Immunity, and an Early Researcher Award from the Government of Ontario, and a Distinguished Alumni Award for Excellence in Basic Science from Western University.

Dr. Miller’s research program is focused primarily on pandemic prevention, especially the development of broadly-protective vaccines, antibodies, and therapeutics. He sits the scientific advisory board of several major vaccine manufacturers, including Seqirus, Pfizer, and Sanofi. He is a member of the Canadian National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) COVID-19 Working Group and Committee to Advise on Tropical Medicine and Travel (CATMAT), the Federal Variants-of-Concern Leadership Group, the Federal Pandemic Science Coordination and Action Group, and the PHAC Expert Panel on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).  He served as Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Society for Virology from 2021-2022.

Dr. Matthew Miller is Executive Director of Global Nexus and the Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research at McMaster University. He also serves as Co-Director of Canadian Pandemic Preparedness Hub (CP2H). Dr. Miller holds a Canada Research Chair in Viral Pandemics. He was recruited to McMaster University in 2014 as an Assistant Professor and has authored over 80 peer-reviewed publications. He has received several major awards, including a CIHR New Investigator Award, the CIHR Bhagirath Singh Early Career Award in Infection and Immunity, and an Early Researcher Award from the Government of Ontario, and a Distinguished Alumni Award for Excellence in Basic Science from Western University.

Dr. Miller’s research program is focused primarily on pandemic prevention, especially the development of broadly-protective vaccines, antibodies, and therapeutics. He sits the scientific advisory board of several major vaccine manufacturers, including Seqirus, Pfizer, and Sanofi. He is a member of the Canadian National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) COVID-19 Working Group and Committee to Advise on Tropical Medicine and Travel (CATMAT), the Federal Variants-of-Concern Leadership Group, the Federal Pandemic Science Coordination and Action Group, and the PHAC Expert Panel on Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).  He served as Secretary-Treasurer of the Canadian Society for Virology from 2021-2022.

Dr. Crowther is a McMaster Distinguished University Profesor, Chair of the Department of Medicine at McMaster, a member of the Royal Society of Canada and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, and holds the Leo Pharma Chair in Thromboembolism Research at McMaster. He has an LLM from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University. His research interests include exploring ways to improve how we use our current anticoagulant drugs and manage their complications and providing guidance to clinicians on optimal management of various hematological conditions. Dr. Crowther’s clinical interests include general, benign hematology with a special interest in preventing and treating blood clotting complications.

Dr. Crowther is a McMaster Distinguished University Profesor, Chair of the Department of Medicine at McMaster, a member of the Royal Society of Canada and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, and holds the Leo Pharma Chair in Thromboembolism Research at McMaster. He has an LLM from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University. His research interests include exploring ways to improve how we use our current anticoagulant drugs and manage their complications and providing guidance to clinicians on optimal management of various hematological conditions. Dr. Crowther’s clinical interests include general, benign hematology with a special interest in preventing and treating blood clotting complications.

Jonathan’s current research applies machine learning approaches to discover novel antibacterial therapies with expanded capabilities over conventional antibiotics.

Jonathan’s current research applies machine learning approaches to discover novel antibacterial therapies with expanded capabilities over conventional antibiotics.

I have had a longstanding interest in microbial commensal influence on chronic inflammatory disorders, long before the topic gained center stage in gastroenterology. After completing my MD studies in Buenos Aires, Argentina, I began clinical research training on Helicobacter pylori infection and chronic gastritis at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland. This was followed by a Ph.D. degree at the Institute of Microbiology and Gnotobiology of the Czech Academy of Science on the effect of commensal bacterial antigens in animal models of inflammatory bowel disease and celiac disease. As a post-doctoral fellow at McMaster University, I focused on beneficial (probiotic) bacteria and their effect on gut function and inflammation. As faculty at McMaster University, I developed a program to investigate host-microbial and dietary interactions in the gastrointestinal tract. In particular, I am interested in the role microbial factors play in modulating immune responses in the context of chronic intestinal conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease and celiac disease. Mechanistically, I focus on commensal and opportunistic pathogen metabolism and proteolytic activity, with the long-term objective to develop therapies to prevent or treat chronic inflammatory and autoimmune conditions.

I have had a longstanding interest in microbial commensal influence on chronic inflammatory disorders, long before the topic gained center stage in gastroenterology. After completing my MD studies in Buenos Aires, Argentina, I began clinical research training on Helicobacter pylori infection and chronic gastritis at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland. This was followed by a Ph.D. degree at the Institute of Microbiology and Gnotobiology of the Czech Academy of Science on the effect of commensal bacterial antigens in animal models of inflammatory bowel disease and celiac disease. As a post-doctoral fellow at McMaster University, I focused on beneficial (probiotic) bacteria and their effect on gut function and inflammation. As faculty at McMaster University, I developed a program to investigate host-microbial and dietary interactions in the gastrointestinal tract. In particular, I am interested in the role microbial factors play in modulating immune responses in the context of chronic intestinal conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease and celiac disease. Mechanistically, I focus on commensal and opportunistic pathogen metabolism and proteolytic activity, with the long-term objective to develop therapies to prevent or treat chronic inflammatory and autoimmune conditions.