With environmental change and pressures on a global scale (i.e. climate, deforestation, increasing population) infectious diseases are finding new ways to re-emerge. Faculty in the department are using several approaches to study vector-borne diseases of humans and animals and how the environment influences the transmission, distribution, and environmental fate, of high priority global pathogens. The approaches implemented span molecular microbiology to human surveillance trials.
Focus areas include respiratory arboviruses and waterborne pathogens (V. Cholerae) with expertise in environmental and human surveillance, genetics, and molecular microbiology.
Solving Mysteries of Sexually Transmitted Infections
“Our work underscores the important role international travel plays in the spread of emerging bacterial pathogens and the potential risk to human health and effective treatment.”
On the Hunt for Viruses
“We need to minimize the risks of airborne infections in mass gathering sites, such as classrooms, markets, and nightclubs.”
Emergence of Massive Cholera Outbreak in Haiti, October 2010
“Cholera can strike anywhere in the world, requiring preparedness on a global scale to mitigate disease burden.”
Improving the Health of Poor Communities in Bangladesh using Human-Centered Design
“A primary need in developing countries is to improve epidemiologic response to infectious disease outbreaks.”
The Front Lines of Researching Mosquito-Borne Diseases in the Caribbean
“By knowing more information about dengue, about Zika in Haiti and other Caribbean countries, we can be better prepared to control the infection if it finds its way to the United States.”
