This series spotlights the amazing students in the YSPH Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases (EMD) program. This month focuses on students who are conducting research on Climate Change and Infectious Diseases. Here, PhD student Jack Carew tells us about the program and some of his exciting research in a Q&A format.
Please tell us a little about yourself and what inspired you to pursue a Ph.D. in the EMD Department at the Yale School of Public Health?
Jack: I decided to apply to the Ph.D. in EMD due to the unrivaled strength of the faculty and depth of vector-borne diseases and environmental health research. Beyond the strength of the faculty members, the physical resources available to the Department, including the tsetse fly insectary (the only one in the U.S.!), offer valuable spaces for conducting innovative vector biology experiments. The Department also features strong relationships with numerous international collaborators, and these collaborations have allowed me to participate in significant fieldwork opportunities at an early stage of my career. Furthermore, the Department’s core focus on global health equity mirrors my commitment to anti-colonial global health practice.
What is the current focus of your research?
The current foci of my research are mapping the emergence and spread of artemisinin-resistant malaria in East Africa and modeling the relationships between vector-borne disease transmission, environmental variables, and conflict in different settings.
What are some of the most significant findings or innovations from your climate change and infectious diseases research?
A recent project I conducted explicated the relationship between environmental characteristics and cutaneous leishmaniasis incidence in northern Syria. It found that lower rainfall, higher temperature range, decreased surface vegetation, and higher humidity are associated with increased incidence rate ratios of cutaneous leishmaniasis. This longitudinal study involved modeling ten years of cutaneous leishmaniasis incidence data with various environmental characteristics and conflict intensity.
Which emerging trends or technologies in climate change and infectious diseases research do you find most exciting?
I am most excited by interdisciplinary approaches that integrate lab sciences, field work, and computational or modeling techniques to understand the spread of vector-borne diseases in a changing climate.
Where do you see the field of climate change and infectious diseases research heading in the next few years, and what role do you hope your work will play in this future landscape?
I think that important innovations in the field of climate change and infectious disease research will include the development of early warning systems for climate-sensitive infectious disease outbreaks (e.g., cholera and dengue) as well as the study of changing vector range on the spread of vector-borne diseases like malaria.
How has the EMD Department supported your research and academic goals?
The EMD Department has supported my research and academic goals in innumerable ways, from cutting-edge physical resources and classroom instruction to mentorship and flexibility to explore my interests while ensuring that I meet key goals to prepare for a career in global health.
What advice would you give to prospective students considering applying to the EMD training programs at Yale?
It is critical to reach out to faculty members and other individuals in the Department when considering applying to EMD training programs at Yale. Not only will speaking with members of the Department allow you to understand research priorities and ongoing projects, but it will also allow you to understand the atmosphere and collaborative nature of the EMD community.