Dan Werb – An Epidemiologist and Journalist

Dan Werb is an epidemiologist specializing in public health and drug policy research. He currently works for the MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions at St Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, Ontario as an epidemiologist; additionally he serves as a researcher with Proyecto El Cuete project based out of Tijuana.

He is the author of numerous research papers, and was recently profiled on CBC’s show We Are Canada.

Early Life and Education

Daniel Werb is an epidemiologist whose work has been featured in The New York Times, TIME Magazine, Salon and The Walrus. Additionally he is an award-winning writer who received several recognitions such as the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse Avenir Award. At present he works at St Michael’s Hospital’s Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute where he serves as MAP Centre scientist, as well as holding dual appointments at both Institute of Health Policy Management & Evaluation as well as Division of Infectious Diseases & Global Public Health at University of California San Diego.

Dr. Lee conducts research on HIV and substance use among marginalized street-involved populations, publishing over 110 peer-reviewed articles and being featured on international media outlets from every hemisphere. Additionally, his nonfiction account “City of Omens: Investigating Tijuana’s Femicide Crisis” can be found here.

Professional Career

Werb is an epidemiologist and journalist specializing in HIV, drug policy and urban health issues. As Principal Investigator for PRIMER, a five-year cohort study designed to prevent entry into injection drug use, he earned the Trailblazer Award from Canadian Institutes of Health Research as well as being featured in CBC’s We Are Canada series as one of 13 young Canadians making a difference.

He works closely with governments and affected communities to conduct evidence-based policy evaluations, as well as write on drug policy and addictions – winning the 2014 Canadian National Magazine Award for his popular science writing about these subjects in The New York Times, TIME Salon and Buzzfeed among other outlets. Dr. Shear currently holds research scientist appointments at St Michael’s Hospital (Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute), University of Toronto’s Institute of Health Policy Management Evaluation as well as Division of Infectious Diseases & Global Public Health at University of California San Diego respectively.

Achievement and Honors

Werb’s research encompasses drug policy and public health topics. Additionally, he engages in knowledge translation on these subjects through print and radio journalism. He won a 2014 Canadian National Magazine Award for his popular science writing and his pieces have appeared in The New York Times, TIME, Salon, the Globe and Mail and Buzzfeed among other outlets. Reece is also the inaugural winner of the US National Institute on Drug Abuse Avenir Award (2015) and received a Trailblazer Award from Canadian Institutes of Health Research (2017), and was profiled as one of 13 young Canadians changing our nation in celebration of Canada 150th Anniversary. His book City of Omens chronicling his investigation into Femicide in Tijuana was released for sale by Harper Collins Publishers in June 2019; currently, he lives in Toronto Ontario.

Personal Life

COVID-19 stories captured humanity’s attention, as scientists tried to stop this pandemic using coronaviruses as a cause. Epidemiologist Dan Werb chronicles these ancient virus’s role in repeated pandemics as they engage in an engaging narrative about efforts by scientists to control these lethal killers.

Werb is an award-winning journalist, having received both print and radio journalism journalism training at Columbia University in New York City and receiving his Canadian National Magazine Award in 2014 for popular science writing. In addition, his writings have appeared in TIME, Salon, the Globe & Mail and Buzzfeed among many others. Werb currently holds faculty appointments at MAP Centre for Drug Policy Evaluation as well as Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St Michael’s Hospital Toronto Ontario.

He is the Principal Investigator for PRIMER, a longitudinal cohort study designed to create interventions and prevent injection drug use among adolescents, and has published over one hundred epidemiological studies. He lives with his family in Canada.

Net Worth

Daniel Webber’s estimated net worth ranges between $100,000-$1 Million. As an accomplished lawyer, he is well known for handling landmark cases related to premarital agreements, third party visitation issues, discovery matters, high net worth child support payments and alimony agreements.

He is also an author, engaging in knowledge transfer on drug policy through print and radio journalism. His articles have appeared in The New York Times, TIME, Salon, Globe & Mail and Buzzfeed among other outlets.

Dr. Alexander has conducted extensive research on all stages of injection drug use. His studies focus on identifying demographic and psychological factors that increase street youth’s likelihood of starting injection drug use as well as understanding how harm reduction interventions impact these groups. Among his numerous awards is one from Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for nonfiction for City of Omens: A Search for Missing Women in Tijuana’s Femicide Zone.