Researcher profile

Lilian A. Ghandour

Lilian A. Ghandour (PhD, MPH) is a tenured Professor of Epidemiology at the American University of Beirut. She is Chairperson and PhD program coordinator at the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics. In 2025, she was selected as a member of the WHO Technical Advisory Group on Substance Use Epidemiology. Dr. Ghandour has led numerous extramurally funded research projects and received multiple international travel awards. Her scholarly contributions, widely published in high-impact peer-reviewed journals, have positioned her as a prominent voice in the fields of epidemiology, mental health, and substance use research. Her work is internationally recognized, evidenced by her frequent invitations to serve as a technical expert for WHO, UNODC, EMCDDA, and various national agencies. Dr. Ghandour has contributed substantively to seminal global resources, including the UNODC/WHO International Standards on Drug Use Prevention, the UNODC World Drug Report, and the WHO Less Alcohol Unit Snapshot Series. She also served on the Mental Health Common Measures Expert Advisory Board focused on global data harmonization in mental health. Dr. Ghandour's work integrates quantitative and qualitative methods to generate contextually relevant and actionable insights that resonate with both scientific communities and policymakers. She is committed to fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and adopting participatory research practices that aim to deepen understanding and support meaningful change.