Dr. Cadhla Firth is an applied research ecologist with the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. She is a member of the interdisciplinary team working on the ‘One Health PROTECT’ project, which aims to evaluate the risk of zoonotic pathogen introduction into the United States through the international wildlife trade. The One Health PROTECT team is conducting the most comprehensive evaluation of the human health risks associated with international trade to date, providing science to support evidence-based policy that strengthens national health security while supporting safe and sustainable trade. This work aids policymakers in reducing the likelihood of future pandemics emerging from wildlife trade. Dr. Firth’s primary role on the team is to develop the hazard identification framework for zoonotic pathogens and their wildlife hosts.

Dr. Firth uses a multi-disciplinary approach to tackle problems related to zoonotic disease emergence at the interface of people, animals, and the environment. Throughout her career, which has spanned research across four continents, she has explored many aspects of infectious disease dynamics. These include molecular ecology, virology, pathogen genetics and genomics, evolutionary biology, field biology, and public/veterinary health. Her research interests include understanding the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of emerging zoonoses at the human-animal interface, with a focus on rapidly changing environments.