Mr. Zayed, who has a doctorate in public health, with a specialization in environmental toxicology, is currently a full professor at the Université de Montréal, where he is also the Director of Graduate Studies with a specialization in Environment and Prevention.

In 1995, Mr. Zayed obtained the Université de Montréal award of merit for teaching. From 2001 to 2004, he was the Director of the Centre Interuniversitaire de Toxicologie and from 2003 to 2004, he chaired the steering committee of the Canadian Network of Toxicology Centres. His research and publications concern the assessment of environmental contamination and of industrial and general exposure, as well as the estimation of health risks associated with chemical substances. Mr. Zayed has also been an international scientific evaluator for a number of research studies on metal toxicology.

As a part-time member of the BAPE, Mr. Zayed has been a commissioner for five mandates and a Chair of four other mandates. Furthermore, he presided over an inquiry into possible environmental and public health effects of radioactivity from operation of a niobium mine and plant by Niocan inc.