Mylène Ratelle

Mylène Ratelle is an Assistant Professor at the University of Montreal's School of Public Health, specializing in environmental and public health risk assessment for vulnerable populations. She holds adjunct roles at the University of Waterloo and collaborates with northern Indigenous communities on projects addressing contaminants, food/water security, and climate impacts. Her work integrates epidemiology, toxicology, and community-based research to address systemic inequities in health outcomes. Dr. Ratelle earned her PhD in Public Health (2015) from the University of Montreal and has extensive field experience with Médecins Sans Frontières and Canadian public health agencies. She leads initiatives on Indigenous health governance, environmental justice, and global health equity.

Education:

• BSc in Biology (2006)
• MSc in Environmental Health & Disaster Management (2009)
• Certification in Administration (2009)
• PhD in Public Health (2015)
• DESS in Toxicology (2020)

Research Focus: Her work bridges environmental contamination, nutrition, and community resilience. Ongoing projects include:

• PFAS exposure in Indigenous communities
• Water governance in the Northwest Territories
• Climate change impacts on northern food security
• Humanitarian health in conflict zones (e.g., Yazidi populations)

Grants & Collaborations: Active projects funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Global Water Futures program, and Northern Contaminants Program. Collaborates with the Sahtú Renewable Resources Board, Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP), and Indigenous-led initiatives.

Labs/Teams: Member of the Centre de recherche en santé publique (CReSP) and contributes to the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme's human health team.