Join Us Each Month
IHCC’s free educational webinar series features new speakers each month who present their research and expertise in various fields of health sciences. With the ultimate goal to bring cohorts together to enhance information-sharing and collaboration, this online series aims to provide a forum for cohort members to:
- exchange scientific ideas, best practices, and lessons learned;
- showcase cohorts’ accomplishments, emphasizing LMICs;
- share international funding opportunities;
- and more!
Upcoming Webinar
“A Journey from Opium Research to the Opioid Cohort Consortium (OPICO)”
23 May 2022 - 1PM UTC
Mahdi Sheikh, M.D., Ph.D.
Dr. Mahdi Sheikh is a Medical Doctor and Cancer Epidemiologist and currently work as a Scientist at the Genomic Epidemiology branch of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC – WHO). Dr. Sheikh has led several epidemiologic studies to investigate the health consequences of using opioids in different settings. He also served as a rapporteur in the volume 126 of IARC Monographs that resulted in the classification of opium consumption into “group 1, carcinogenic to humans”.
Dr. Sheikh is currently leading the Opioid Cohort Consortium (OPICO) that brings together 10 international cohorts within 4 continents to characterize the patterns and long-term health consequences of using opioids across different countries.
Dr. Sheikh is also leading several international projects that aim to utilize epidemiologic, proteomic, and genetic data to investigate the effects of smoking cessation on the survival of smoker patients with different types of cancers.
About the Talk
Opium is an addictive narcotic drug obtained from the poppy plant and is widely used in some societies for recreational and pain relief purposes. Five decades of opium research, mostly conducted in Iran, showed associations between using opium and developing a wide range of cancers. This evidence resulted in the classification of opium consumption as “carcinogenic to humans” by the Monographs program of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC – WHO). This classification raised concerns about prescription opioids, which are either derived from opium or synthesized in laboratories to mimic its chemical structure and effects.
Apply To Be a Speaker
Interested in speaking at an upcoming webinar? Use the form below to provide us with some information on your proposed topic and your availability to speak.
Previous Webinars
April 26, 2022: “Terra and the Biomedical Data Ecosystem”
Presented by: Dr. Geraldine Van der Auwera
March 31, 2022: “Genomic Data Sharing for Global Health”
Presented by: Peter Goodhand
February 28, 2022: “Diversity in Africa or Novel COVID Host Susceptibility Study”
Presented by: Dr. Michèle Ramsay and Dr. Andrew May
January 31, 2022: “Global Mental Health Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic”
Presented by: Dr. Sarah Bauermeister
VIEW 2021 WEBINARS
- April 30, 2021: “Establishing and Managing Large Biobank Studies“ presented by Prof. Zhengming Chen
- June 24, 2021: “The MAUCO Project“ presented by Prof. Catterina Ferreccio
- July 22, 2021: “Longitudinal Population Cohorts” presented by Dr. Kobus Herbst
- August 23, 2021: “Update on Bio-specimen Collection in MVP“ presented by Dr. J. Michael Gaziano
- September 28, 2021: “What Do iTunes and Genetic Analyses Have In Common?” presented by Oriol Canela-Xandri
We Want to Hear From You!
For questions or feedback regarding the IHCC Educational Webinar Series, or to suggest a speaker for a future meeting, please contact us at ihccinfo@ihccglobal.org.
