In an unprecedented discovery, a recent UTMB-led One Health study in Pakistan identified molecular evidence of a bovine adenovirus in a human respiratory sample—a finding that underscores the silent, often invisible ways that viruses can move between species.
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When Viruses Cross Species: UTMB Collaborative Study in Pakistan Finds Evidence for an Unusual Cattle Virus Infection in a Sick Man
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Understanding How Epidemics Start in the Field: A Conversation with Dr. Weaver
What do mosquitoes, West Africa, and cutting-edge virus research have in common? For Dr. Scott Weaver, they’ve shaped a lifelong journey into the heart of epidemic science. Dr. Weaver’s story blends fieldwork, One Health thinking, and decades of partnership with scientists across Senegal, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. In this article, he reflects on building research infrastructure, discovering new viruses, and why the key to controlling epidemics starts with understanding them—right where they emerge.
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Bridging Borders and Battling Worms: Dr. Clinton White’s Global One Health Mission
Dr. Clinton White is a renowned researcher, educator, and clinician specializing in neurocysticercosis and other parasitic infections, with a career shaped by global collaborations and a strong commitment to tropical medicine. His expertise in neurocysticercosis grew from early encounters at Ben Taub County Hospital to international research efforts, leading to influential management guidelines and eradication strategies in Peru. Currently, he continues his work through clinical teaching, research collaborations, and clinical trials, emphasizing education and a One Health approach to combating infectious diseases worldwide.
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Dr. Meredith Anderson: Investigating Pesticide Exposure in Birds and its Public Health Impact
Dr. Meredith Anderson, DVM, PhD candidate at the Schubot Center for Avian Health at Texas A&M is studying the impact of neonicotinoid pesticides on bird health, immunity, and their role in spreading zoonotic diseases. Her research is looking at how pesticide exposure weakens birds’ immune systems making them more susceptible to infection and altering their ability to transmit diseases like West Nile virus and Salmonella Typhimurium. Neonicotinoids are used in agriculture and urban landscaping and contaminate the environment through treated seeds, soil, water and insect prey. Her studies have already shown patterns of pesticide exposure in juvenile birds and certain species (American robins and red-winged blackbirds) are at increased risk. As she continues her research, she hopes her findings will inform conservation efforts and policy decisions to reduce environmental contamination.
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Immunology and Global Health: Science with a Legacy
Dr. Alan Landay has spent over 40 years in immunology, HIV, and global health research. As Vice President of Team Science, Professor of Internal Medicine, and Professor Microbiology and Immunology at UTMB, he works to understand how pathogens interact with the host immune system and its application to public health. His true magic lies in his ability to bring together experts from diverse disciplines—including medicine, veterinary science, basic biology, and environmental health—to develop sustainable solutions.
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Lessons from an Infectious Disease and One Health Scientist
Multidisciplinary engagement underpins effective One Health approaches to infections at the human/animal/environmental interface. Dr. Gene Olinger, professor and Deputy Director of the Galveston National Laboratory at UTMB, shares how drawing from multiple perspectives has shaped his work in virology and his vision for the future of One Health work.
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Discoveries in UTMB’s Translational Intensive Care Unit
Dr. Perenlei Enkhbaatar serves as the current head of the translational intensive care unit (TICU) at UTMB. Bridging the gap between laboratory research and clinical practice, the TICU is a reservoir of discovery on the frontlines of critical care best practices. In this article, Dr. Enkhbaatar discusses key features of the unit, including the importance of large animal models in research.
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Researchers in Sarawak Malaysia are Pioneering Novel Coronavirus Research in Collaboration with UTMB
In 2021, an international research team reported the discovery of an unusual canine-like coronavirus(1) among patients hospitalized with pneumonia in Sarawak, Malaysia. Several months later this virus (named CCoV-HuPn-2018) was found by another research team among patients with respiratory disease who had just visited Haiti.(2) In collaboration with UTMB’s One Health Laboratory, researchers in Sarawak led by Pediatrician Dr. Teck-Hock Toh are seeking to better understand this virus’s epidemiology and transmission by studying patients in multiple Sarawak hospitals.
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Human BPL-1357 Influenza Vaccine Challenge Study: Biocontainment Unit Role
In this article, Dr. Susan McLellan, a professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch and director of the Special Pathogens Excellence in Clinical Treatment, Readiness, and Education Program, describes her work supporting a human influenza virus vaccine challenge study.
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Making Sense of the Influenza A Virus in its Various Hosts
Dr. Laura Pulscher, a postdoctoral fellow at UTMB’s One Health Research and Training Network, along with her senior colleagues Dr. Richard Webby of St. Jude Children’s Hospital and Professor Greg Gray at UTMB, recently published an algorithm for efficient characterization of influenza A viruses. She spoke with me regarding the role this algorithm may play in improving the testing efficiency of different specimen sample types that are suspected to contain influenza.
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