Experienced health professional with a dentistry background specializing in dental public health, public health, global health education, research coordination, and project management. Dr. Preet is the Equal Opportunity Officer, a global health lecturer, and a senior research coordinator at the Department of Epidemiology and Global Health at Umeå University, Sweden

With a career marked by significant involvement in coordinating large transnational global health research consortia, Dr. Preet has a strong track record in leading communication teams and overseeing complex, multi-partner projects. Her expertise includes managing extensive European Union-funded health research grants from the proposal stage through to the successful project completion, facilitating collaboration across research groups in both the global north and south. She works in various roles as an advisor, reviewer, evaluator, and consultant with WHO, EU, NGOs, and a few professional associations.

She is known for her ability to foster communication, collaboration, and implementation in multidisciplinary settings, applying her forward-thinking approach to drive impactful, innovative projects that address global health challenges.

My optimism for public health is inspired by my early experiences of working as a dental practitioner in India twenty-five years ago. The neglect of oral health and the critical need were disturbing, which led me to equip myself with skills outside of the clinical domain.

Because public health requires a multidisciplinary approach, its research and practice are complex, and our efforts have not always been inclusive but rather specific. However, in healthcare, innovation, preparedness and response all aspects must cooperate, be well-coordinated and integrated for a wider societal gain.

For more than a decade, I have been coordinating and managing large transnational EU-funded collaborative research grants, out of which ZikaPLAN is a project that stands out for its international cooperation. The rewarding side of the work I do is to see all stakeholders being able to perform their roles with continued motivation and they see value in the public good.

Over the twenty years as an active global health professional, I have met various professionals, and we have championed ‘Health for All by All’. The multidisciplinary and integrated approach ties this well. Be ready to go that extra step when planning for health care and its delivery, some of us make a bigger difference in the provisions and operations without knowing.

Beyond work, I like singing, reading, and traveling with my family to new places.