Agatha Jassem

Dr. Agatha Jassem is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine at the University of British Columbia and serves as the co-program head of the Virology Lab at the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) Public Health Laboratory. She holds leadership roles as President of both the Canadian Association for Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases and the British Columbia Association of Clinical Scientists.

Her educational background includes a BSc (Hons) in Biology from York University (2006), a PhD from UBC's Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine (2012), and an accredited Clinical Microbiology Fellowship at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (2014). She is certified in clinical microbiology by both the American Board of Medical Microbiology and the Canadian College of Microbiologists (2016).

Dr. Jassem's research focuses on developing and implementing molecular and serological diagnostic tests for respiratory pathogens and sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections. She oversees provincial diagnostic and surveillance services for these pathogens and serves as the BC Lab Lead for the Canadian Sentinel Practitioner Surveillance Network, which monitors SARS-CoV-2 and influenza vaccine effectiveness. Her work includes characterizing immune responses post-infection and vaccination, validating novel multiplex serology methods, and studying viral genomics to understand SARS-CoV-2 evolution under vaccine pressure.

Her recent publications demonstrate expertise across multiple areas of virology, including SARS-CoV-2 antigenic relationships, respiratory syncytial virus immunity, avian influenza surveillance, and innovative diagnostic approaches like phage immunoprecipitation sequencing. Her work often addresses public health challenges, particularly in serving hard-to-reach populations through initiatives like dried blood spot sampling for HCV and HIV diagnosis.

Dr. Jassem has received recognition through her board certifications and leadership positions in professional organizations. Her scientific contributions span both fundamental virology research and practical public health applications, with a particular focus on emerging infectious disease threats and diagnostic innovation.

She is actively involved in teaching and science communication, participating in numerous outreach initiatives. Her work bridges clinical microbiology, public health laboratory services, and academic research, making significant contributions to Canada's response to infectious disease threats.