Office of Community Engagement

Faculty of Medicine

Ghose Visiting Scholar in Global Health

 

Encouraging a greater understanding of global health 

Global health prioritizes improving health and achieving health equity for all people worldwide and emphasizes transnational health issues, determinants and solutions. The
Dr. Tarunendu Ghose Visiting Scholar in Global Health was established at Dalhousie Faculty of Medicine to encourage a greater understanding of global health in its many contexts.

Perspectives in Global Health, the view from the Trenches and Academia" with Dr. Rodrigo López Barreda

On Tuesday, December 2, 2025 the Office of Community Engagement hosted the 3rd Dr. Tarunendu Ghose Visiting Scholar in Global Health. Dr. Rodrigo López Barreda (MD, MPH, PhD) gave a talk entitled: “Perspectives in Global Health, the View from the Trenches and Academia”.

Dr. Rodrigo López Barreda, MD MPH PhD is a cardiovascular anesthesiologist from Chile. He has a Master's degree in Public Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, a PhD in Biomedical Ethics and Law from the University of Zurich and is doing another one on Public Policies at Maastricht University. After working in academia for a number of years, he became involved with the humanitarian sector, having missions in the DRC, Chad, Somaliland, and Sudan, among other countries. Member of the Educational Committee of the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthetists, he also works as an advisor for Lifebox. Finally, he's well connected with several Dal affiliated faculty thanks to the VAST organization.  

About the Dr. Tarunendu Ghose Visiting Scholar in Global Health

The lecture series is named for Dr. Tarunendu Ghose, who was a distinguished physician, medical researcher, and educator whose lifelong commitment to advancing cancer research and promoting global health left a lasting impact. Born in India, Dr. Ghose’s career spanned continents, with a particular focus on oncology, radiation biology, and the biological effects of radiation. His distinguished career continued at Dalhousie University for over two decades as a faculty member. He pioneered research in cancer immunology, authoring 200 papers and giving invited lectures at scientific meetings around the world.

But Dr. Ghose’s legacy extends beyond his scientific work. He was a passionate advocate for global health, peace, and social justice. His deep concerns about the state of the world were reflected in his personal actions and his writings. In a letter written just weeks before his passing in 2020, he expressed his hopes for a better future: “There is nothing but human destruction and devastation going on unchecked around the world. We need to have a minimum standard of human health, we need strong international bodies to promote peace and avoid wars. We also need to ban the sale of weapons of mass destruction. Canada can probably do something about it.”

In recognition of these values, Dr. Ghose left funds to establish this lecture series on global and planetary health, a testament to his dedication to keeping these conversations at the forefront of our work at Dalhousie and in the Maritimes.

 

Past Events

April 2025 - Dr. Sonja Wicklum

On Wednesday April 2, 2025 the Office of Community Engagement hosted the 2nd Dr. Tarunendu Ghose Visiting Scholar in Global Health. Dr. Sonja Wicklum the Director of Planetary Health at Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary, gave a talk entitled: “Planetary Health Education, from Burden to Privilege: Addressing the Greatest Health Threat of our Time”.

Dr. Wicklum is a specialist in family medicine and is a clinical associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the Cumming School of Medicine and member of the O’Brien Institute for Public Health. Wicklum has a wealth of research experience in planetary health, obesity management, family medicine, Indigenous women’s health care and rural medicine. Wicklum is passionate about helping others adopt a planetary health lens in their health-care practice.

October 2023 - Dr. Andrea MacNeill

On Monday, October 30, 2023 the Office of Community Partnerships and Global Health hosted the inaugural Dr. Tarunendu Ghose Visiting Scholar in Global Health. Dr. Andrea MacNeill, a leading expert in planetary health and sustainable healthcare systems, gave a talk entitled: “From Net Zero to Net Positive: The Practice of Planetary Healthcare”.

Dr. Andrea MacNeill is the Director of the Planetary Health Lab, University of British Columbia