This series spotlights the amazing students in the YSPH Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases (EMD) program. This month, we focus on students conducting research on infectious diseases across different labs in the department. Here, postdoctoral fellow Dr. Morgan Goheen tells us about the program and some of her exciting research in the Parikh and Bei Labs.

Please tell us a little about yourself and what inspired you to pursue a Postdoc in the EMD Department at the Yale School of Public Health?

Morgan: I’ve had a longstanding interest in pursuing translational research in infectious diseases. I completed my MD/PhD degree at UNC Chapel Hill and then came to Yale as part of the Internal Medicine (IM) Physician Scientist Training Program. After IM residency, I’ve been part of the Infectious Diseases (ID) fellowship which, aside from clinical training, includes significant time to conduct postdoc research. Finding postdoc mentorship under EMD faculty Sunil Parikh and Amy Bei has been an ideal fit for me, allowing me to continue in the malaria field (the focus of my PhD) and develop new vector-related research skills.

What is the current focus of your research?

My research broadly focuses on transmission of drug-resistant malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. Specifically, my project involves investigating the impact of human antimalarials, ingested by mosquitoes feeding on people taking these drugs, on parasite development and selection within the vector.

What are some of the most significant findings or innovations from your infectious diseases research?

In the lab, I have been able to successfully demonstrate that mosquitoes absorb antimalarials in a bloodmeal, and these drugs remain present in their circulatory fluid for several days. This suggests that mosquitoes in malaria-endemic areas are likely regularly absorbing human antimalarials, given the vast number of people taking these drugs and sets the stage for upcoming experiments to examine the impact of these drugs on infected mosquitoes. The presence of antimalarials in mosquitoes could impact parasite drug-resistance selection and onward transmission.

Which emerging trends or technologies in your area of infectious diseases research do you find most exciting?

I have sought to use my postdoc time to gain new skills and expertise in vector- and transmission-related aspects of malaria pathogenesis. I’m excited by the field’s trends towards trying to better understand parasite selection dynamics during the vector stages, the role of mosquito salivary antigens on disease transmission, and efforts to develop and implement novel transmission-blocking technologies such as vaccines and endectocides.

Where do you see your field of 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 climate change and other factors will contribute to expansion of vector habitats and vector-borne diseases. I also fear that recent changes in funding programs and global health networks will result in a resurgence of malaria cases globally. Amidst these developments, I hope to continue my commitment to being a physician-scientist focused on tropical vector-borne diseases, with the ultimate goal of contributing to the development of transmission-blocking interventions.

How has the EMD Department supported your research and academic goals?

During my postdoc, EMD has been incredibly supportive of my research and academic training goals, despite being an “outsider” from the clinical ID division. I am incredibly grateful for the mentorship and support I’ve received, both from my direct research mentors and many other EMD faculty. The opportunities for postdoc pilot project funding from EMD have been absolutely fundamental to my ability to develop my project and my efforts to obtain individual career development awards.

What advice would you give to prospective students considering applying to the EMD training programs at Yale?

Go for it! I can’t say enough about the quality of research, caliber of mentorship, and support for trainees within this department. I don’t think anyone would be disappointed coming here.