Our Team
Rhoel R. Dinglasan, PhD MPH
SOUTHEASTERN CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN VECTOR BORNE DISEASES DIRECTOR
Professor of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida.
Research Interests: Molecular parasitology; arbovirology; molecular medical entomology; glycoproteomics; cell biology; microbial pathogenesis; vector-borne disease transmission biology.
Melissa S. Nolan, PhD MPH
SOUTHEASTERN CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN VECTOR BORNE DISEASES DEPUTY DIRECTOR
Assistant Professor, Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina
Research Interests: infectious disease; vector-borne disease transmission; vector-borne disease control in resource limited areas; tickborne illness; Chagas disease.
Sadie J. Ryan, PhD
DATA CORE LEAD| PRINICIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Associate Professor of Medical Geography, Department of Geography, University of Florida
Research Interests: Vector-borne disease ecology, geospatial modelling, risk mapping, untangling drivers of vector-borne disease shifts on the landscape, informing decision-making for intervention and control, quantitative ecology and social-ecological system study design and implementation.
Lauri Baker, PhD
PRINICIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Associate Professor of Agricultural Communication, Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, University of Florida
Research Interests: Science communication; health communication; message development; public perceptions and opinions; trust in science
Daniel Swale, PhD
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Associate Professor of Entomology and Nematology, Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida
Research Interests: insect Neurotoxicology, ion channel physiology and pharmacology, insecticide/acaricide resistance mechanisms, and pathogen-vector interactions
John Beier, ScD
PRINICIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Professor and Director of the Division of Environment and Public Health, Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami
Research Interests: Ecology and control of vector-borne diseases; pathogen transmission dynamics; determinants of human risk; novel vector control methods; innovative integrated vector management strategies for disease control.
Matthew J. DeGennaro, PhD
PRINICIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences, Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University
Research Interests: Molecular genetics; development of new tools to control harmful mosquito behaviors; identification of olfactory receptors necessary for mosquito host detection
Vanessa Rivera-Amil, PhD
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Associate Dean of Biomedical Sciences; Professor of Microbiology Ponce Research Institute, Ponce Health Sciences University.
Research Interests: Arboviral diseases (dengue, Zika, chikungunya); Immunology—how our defenses respond to infections; Community-based health research to reduce disease risk.
Robert Rodriguez Gonzalez, PhD MPH
Assistant Professor and Researcher, Puerto Rico Health Sciences University
Research Interests: .
Brian Byrd, PhD, MSPH
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Professor and Program Director in the Environmental Health Sciences program, College of Health and Human Sciences, Western Carolina University.
Research Interests: Ecology of domestic mosquito-borne diseases, ecology and epidemiology of La Crosse encephalitis, morphological and molecular identification of mosquitoes, invasive container-inhabiting Aedes mosquitoes
Ross M. Boyce MD, MSc, FIDSA
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Associate Professor of Medicine, Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, UNC School of Medicine.
Research Interests: Lyme disease, post-treatment Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, La Crosse virus, clinical epidemiology, clinical trials.
Meghan Hermance, PhD
PRINICIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine, University of South Alabama
Research Interests: Emerging tick-borne viruses; maintenance of infected tick colonies in high biocontainment facilities; and tick-host-virus transmission systems in animal models.
Abelardo C. Moncayo, PhD
PRINICIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Director, Vector-Borne Diseases Program, Tennessee Department of Health
Research Interests: Vector-borne disease epidemiology; ecology; surveillance and control; emerging pathogen detection; public health policy
Rosmarie Kelly, PhD MPH
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Public Health State Entomologist, Environmental Health Section, Georgia Department of Public Health
Research Interests: Mapping distribution of vector species; mosquito & tick surveillance; vector behavior; the effects of parasites on behavior.
“Tiffany” Thuy-Vi Thi Nguyen, PhD MPH
PRINICIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Public Health Deputy State Entomologist, Environmental Health Section, Georgia Department of Public Health
Research Interests: Vector-borne disease transmission; vector control methods; efficacy of mosquito surveillance methods; insecticide resistance; efficacy of tick surveillance methods; mosquito and tick species distribution and phenology
Katherine M Brown, MPH
STAFF RESEARCHER
University of South Carolina – Nolan Lab.
Research Interests:Tick-borne illness; arboviruses; zoonotic disease; vector-borne disease; wildlife disease ecology; Hippoboscidae ecology; One Health.
Holly Gaff, PhD
PRINICIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Professor of Biological Sciences, Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University
Research Interests: Tick ecology; tick borne illness; surveillance; mathematical epidemiology
Luis Alonso Palomares
SECVBD RESEARCHER
Adjunct Research Assistant Professor, Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida
Research Interests: virus-vector relationships, comparative immunology.
Emily Owens Pickle, MPH PhD
FACULTY
Old Dominion University; Norfolk State University Joint School of Public Health, Assistant Professor [Former trainee: University of South Carolina, Nolan Lab]
Research Interests: Tick-borne illness; arboviruses; zoonotic disease; vector-borne disease; wildlife disease ecology; Hippoboscidae ecology; One Health.
SECVBD STUDENTS AND TRAINEES
Zachary J. Bement, MSc
SECVBD FELLOW
Tennessee Department of Public Health
Research Interests: Vector-Borne Disease Surveillance; Vector surveillance; Molecular Pathogen Identification; Use of dPCR to identify rare vector-borne pathogen targets; Designing more effective tick surveillance methods; Disease Ecology
Andrea Victoria Arce, BS
SECVBD PhD STUDENT
Florida International University, DeGennaro Lab
Research Interests: Molecular genetics and development of new attractants and tools to control mosquito population
Bright Agbodzi, MS MPhil
SECVBD PhD STUDENT
University of Florida, FL- Dinglasan Lab
Research Interests: Molecular genetics: application of omics approaches to understand host-virus interactions; vector virome influence on arbovirus competence; molecular evolution of viruses.
Astrid Erickson
SECVBD PhD STUDENT
University of Florida
Research Interests: coming soon
Peyton Pretsch
SECVBD PhD STUDENT
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Research Interests:
Hayley Abernathy
SECVBD PhD STUDENT
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Research Interests:
Christina Espada, MPH
SECVBD PhD STUDENT
Old Dominion University, VA- Tick Lab!
Research Interests: Vector-borne disease ecology, vector and pathogen surveillance, epidemiology, One Health, community health and conservation, environmental drivers of disease
Mykenna Zettle
SECVBD PhD STUDENT
Old Dominion University, VA- Tick Lab!
Research Interests: coming soon.
Shania Sanderson, MS
SECVBD PhD STUDENT
Old Dominion University, VA- Tick Lab!
Research Interests: Mathematical biology; vector-borne disease modeling; host-pathogen-environment interactions; ecological modeling of tick-borne diseases; machine
Sebastian Duran-Ahumada, PhD
SECVBD POSTDOC
Dinglasan Lab, Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida.
Research Interests: Vector ecology, vector control, epidemiology.
Dorcas Sunday
SECVBD PhD STUDENT
University of Florida
Research Interests: coming soon
Brian T. Rich, MS
SECVBD PhD STUDENT
Old Dominion University, VA- Tick Lab!
Research Interests: Tick ecology; vector-host interactions; novel tick detection methods; interspecific competition among tick species; ecological modeling of vector distributions; tick and mite taxonomy; integrated pest management; drone/satellite based tick detection and wildlife management
Melody Kondoff
SECVBD Ms. STUDENT
University of Florida
Research Interests: Coming soon.
Dorcas Sunday
SECVBD PhD STUDENT
University of Florida
Research Interests: coming soon
Sean Sweeney, MS
SECVBD PhD STUDENT
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina
Research Interests: Emerging infectious diseases; arboviruses; neglected tropical diseases; vector-borne disease; zoonotic spillover; One Health; agricultural infections.
Hugo Bravo Gallegos
SECVBD PhD STUDENT
Florida International University, DeGennaro Lab
Research Interests: Coming soon
Julian Leonard
SECVBD PhD STUDENT
Florida International University, DeGennaro Lab
Research Interests: Coming soon
Ahmed Garba
SECVBD PhD STUDENT
University of South Alabama, College of Medicine
Research Interests: Coming soon
Sarah Macon-Foley
SECVBD PhD STUDENT
University of South Alabama, College of Medicine
Research Interests: Coming soon
Md Tanzim Ul Alam
SECVBD PhD STUDENT
Florida International University, DeGennaro Lab
Research Interests: Coming soon
Matthew Rodman
SECVBD PhD STUDENT
Florida International University, DeGennaro Lab
Research Interests: Coming soon
Kaylee Marrero
SECVBD PhD STUDENT
Florida International University, DeGennaro Lab
Research Interests: Coming soon
Lilyana Hamerling
SECVBD PhD STUDENT
Florida International University, DeGennaro Lab
Research Interests: Coming soon
Willow Baker
SECVBD PhD STUDENT
University of Florida
Research Interests: Coming soon
Bryan A. Diaz Font
SECVBD DrPH STUDENT
Ponce Health Sciences University
Research Interests: Coming soon
Alanna I. Rodriguez Rodriguez
SECVBD DrPH STUDENT
Ponce Health Sciences University
Research Interests: Coming soon
Kathiana M. Colon Cotto
SECVBD DrPH STUDENT
Ponce Health Sciences University
Research Interests: Coming soon
Michael Hogdon
SECVBD DrPH STUDENT
Ponce Health Sciences University
Research Interests: Coming soon
Roselani Fransechi Pagan
SECVBD DrPH STUDENT
Ponce Health Sciences University
Research Interests: Coming soon
Dayaneira Rivera Alers
SECVBD DrPH STUDENT
Ponce Health Sciences University
Research Interests: Coming soon
2026 SECVBD SUMMER INTERNS
FLORIDA
Jaslyn Stamey – Anastasia Mosquito Control District
Magic Vang – Anastasia Mosquito Control District
Alexis Dunnick – Sarasota Mosquito Control District
GEORGIA
Adam Osikpemi Oshiokpekhai – Mercer University
Vivian Poley – University of Georgia
ALABAMA
Maggie Schuler – The University of Southern Alabama
ARKANSAS
Madison George – The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Clayton Kimbrell – The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
NORTH CAROLINA
Riley Connelly – The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Madeline Craig – Western Carolina University
Mitch Mullin – Western Carolina University
SOUTH CAROLINA
Kendall Stevens – University of South Carolina
KENTUCKY
Tim Breen – Kentucky Department of Public Health
TENNESSEE
Elizabeth Polk – Tennessee Department of Health
MISSOURI
Adrienne Hagins – WashU/Missouri Department of Health
