Emerging Infectious Disease Research

George Mason University undergraduate Jessica Morris and graduate student Molly Corder examine a tick drag out net among tall grasses in “the KLEE,” or the Kenya Long Term Exclusion Experiment site.

Increased human-animal interactions lead to the emergence and spread of zoonotic pathogens, which cause about 75 percent of infectious diseases affecting human health. With their partners, the Global Health Program builds regional capacity for disease response in Southeast Asia and Africa.

By assessing disease spillover risks, improving in-country laboratory capacity and performing surveillance in wild species, GHP links local health responders with tools to prevent emerging infectious diseases at their sources.

Projects

Anthrax Epidemiology and Vultures

Smithsonian scientists and partners are investigating the epidemiology of anthrax in free-ranging vultures across Kenya.

Arthropod and Xenosurveillance

Epidemiologists test blood-sucking arthropods, such as ticks and mosquitoes, for pathogens to predict and prevent the spread of diseases.

PREDICT Kenya

By studying species in Kenya, scientists hope to better understand how diseases are transmitted from animals to humans.

PREDICT Myanmar

Researchers study bats, primates and rodents in Myanmar to better understand how diseases are transmitted from animals to humans.

Rhino Conservation and Medicine

Smithsonian scientists are conducting a rhinoceros medicine workshop in Kenya and investigating a skin infection plaguing the endangered black rhinoceros.

Satellite Tracking of Bats in Myanmar

Scientists are using novel technologies to track the long-distance movements of Indian flying foxes in Southeast Asia, a first for this species.

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Changing Landscapes Initiative

Smithsonian scientists work alongside community members in Northwestern Virginia to evaluate the impacts of land-use change on wildlife, ecosystem services and community health.

Coral Biobank Alliance

Smithsonian scientists are part of the Coral Biobank Alliance, a global network of coral experts preserving corals for restoration and research.

Coral Species Cryopreserved with Global Collaborators​

View a list of the coral species that have been cryopreserved using a technique developed by Smithsonian scientists.

Wildebeest Conservation

Conservation Ecology Center scientists are tracking the movements of white-bearded wildebeest to understand how changes across the landscape impact the species.

Protecting Piping Plovers in the Great Lakes

In 2022, the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center will begin a new research project to help protect endangered piping plovers from predation by merlins.

Swift Fox Recovery

Smithsonian scientists, in collaboration with the Fort Belknap Fish and Wildlife Department, are embarking on a five-year swift fox reintroduction project to restore swift foxes to tribal lands and to help reestablish connectivity between disjointed swift fox populations.

Conserving the World’s Largest Working Wetland

Conservation Ecology Center researchers are collaborating with institutions in Brazil and other Smithsonian colleagues to support sustainable cattle ranching in the Pantanal wetland.