Dahdaleh Global Health Graduate Scholar, Faculty of Health
Graduate Student Scholar

Yousef Albaba is a medical doctor and public health researcher whose work sits at the intersection of global health, humanitarianism, and systems thinking. Originally from Gaza, he earned his Doctor of Medicine from Al-Quds University before completing a Master of Public Health in Global Health at Queen's University Belfast, where he graduated with a First-Class equivalent and received the prestigious Copty Scholarship for Palestinian students.
His path into public health has been shaped by direct experience of providing care in humanitarian and conflict-affected settings, where communities face prolonged food insecurity, environmental degradation, and health system collapse. These realities motivate his commitment to research that both strengthens the public health effectiveness of humanitarian response and interrogates the structural drivers of humanitarian crises.
As a doctoral researcher at York University's Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research, Yousef's work focuses on developing a Gaza-focused case study examining food system fragility, health equity, and One Health interactions in a protracted humanitarian setting. His research is situated within ONE TABLE, an international initiative led by Dr Tarra Penney that leverages a global One Health approach to food system transformation. Using systems thinking, participatory systems mapping, qualitative methods, and policy analysis, he aims to identify leverage points where humanitarian and development actors can engage more effectively with the systemic drivers of vulnerability.
In the long term, he aims to work at the interface of global health research, humanitarian policy, and systems innovation, advancing more effective and just humanitarian responses.
Research Keywords
Global health; One Health; food systems; humanitarian response
Themes | Global Health & Humanitarianism |
Status | Active |
Related Work |
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Updates |
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