PERL is a research lab at VRƵ dedicated to strengthening health system readiness for crises. Our work focuses on five interconnected streams that strengthen how we anticipate, prevent, and respond to health emergencies, with a central aim of shaping policy and practice in the “post-COVID” era.
Pandemic prevention & risk anticipation: We study drivers of disease emergence and analyze past and present outbreak responses to develop upstream and downstream strategies that prevent future pandemics and emergencies in various contexts, including low- and middle-income countries.
Policy, governance & crisis infrastructure: We explore legal, financial, and institutional frameworks including rapid response teams and surge workforces to strengthen preparedness and response systems.
Data & systems innovation: We aim to advance real-time, interoperable, and decision-ready data tools that support crisis monitoring and warning systems.
Equity & community resilience: We examine how structural and social vulnerabilities shape crises, applying an equity lens to strengthen system resilience and community preparedness.
Trust, communication & crisis leadership: We develop strategies to build trust, combat misinformation, and equip leaders with the tools to communicate and lead clearly, and confidently during crises.