One of our goals is to increase capacity for research in transdisciplinary one health research and practice through training new scientists, offering professional development opportunities to career scientists, and creating a community of faculty and students at Mason and elsewhere with common interests relevant to the study of One Health.
Research: We investigate the mechanisms by which vector-borne and zoonotic diseases emerge and spread, which human and animal behaviors increase risk of spillover and transmission, how these behaviors impact changes in the environment and vice versa and how these feedback into risk for zoonotic diseases, which interventions (behavioral, environmental, policy) are effective in preventing or reducing zoonotic disease transmission at any interface (human, animal, environment), development of predictive models that incorporate realistic human and animal behavioral, atmospheric and other data using AI, Machine Learning and other Technologies. Our projects take One Health to the next level by integrating health and social realities whenever possible and these have included examining the role of mental health outcomes, political instability, structural violence, extreme weather events, and natural and manmade disasters on emerging disease risk.
Training: We train undergraduate students, graduate students, and professionals in transdisciplinary one health through lectures in introductory One Health courses and mentored research opportunities. We bring together individuals from various disciplines to apply there know-how to the study of the interactions between humans, animals, and the environment: e.g., public health, engineering, biology, policy, environmental science and policy, microbiology etc... in an open and welcoming space that encourages dialogue that breaks down disciplinary boundaries.
Outreach: We provide updated information to the general public and journalists about emerging vector-borne and zoonotic diseases through the development and dissemination of factsheets, by conducting interviews and attending conferences. We attend career days, mentor science clubs at various K-12 institutions, host summer high school interns from around the country and the world. We participate in workshops and roundtables to share our knowledge and inform One Health interventions and policy meetings, conferences, working groups and similar.
