Please tell us a little about yourself and what inspired you to pursue a MPH in the EMD Department at the Yale School of Public Health?
Karthika: I've been interested in infectious diseases since middle school. This led me to pursue my undergraduate degree in biology, which was disrupted during the last term of my freshman year when the COVID-19 pandemic hit India. Witnessing the migrant crisis in India during the pandemic, caused by systemic casteism and an inefficient public health response by the government, made me realize that I wanted to work with infectious diseases in a context that went beyond the confines of a wet lab. I chose to do my MPH at the Yale School of Public Health as I really liked that it had an entire department dedicated to infectious diseases research and that the program would provide me with a general foundation in public health as well as a set of skills specific to infectious disease epidemiology.
What is the current focus of your research?
Karthika: My master's research examines the effectiveness of Wolbachia-based interventions on dengue incidence in Brazil. Wolbachia bacterium can reduce the vectorial capacity of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes that can then introgress into wild mosquito populations. I’ll be working with Dr. Albert Ko's lab to determine the stability of Wolbachia-based interventions and if lower-cost forms of introgression monitoring provide a reliable indicator of dengue risk reduction.
What are some of the most significant findings or innovations from your climate change and infectious diseases research?
Karthika: Dengue is a concerning vector-borne disease due to its already high burden and sensitivity to climatic conditions. By exploring the stability of the protective effect of Wolbachia-based interventions and lower-cost forms of monitoring introgression, we hope to contribute to the development of a sustainable and scalable strategy to combat dengue.
Which emerging trends or technologies in climate change and infectious diseases research do you find most exciting?
Karthika: Wolbachia-based interventions for the prevention and control of dengue have great potential in terms of feasibility and sustainability! These are the main issues with traditional methods of control such as the use of insecticides.
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?
Karthika: It is increasingly important to quantify and predict the impact of climate change on climate-sensitive infectious diseases like dengue, anticipate future changes, and think about ways to counteract them. Currently, while it may not be possible to stop or undo the impact of climate change, we can still develop feasible, sustainable, and scalable interventions to address climate change-induced expansions in infectious disease burden.
How has the EMD Department supported your research and academic goals?
Karthika: Dr. Albert Ko and his lab team have been very supportive of my interest in developing my quantitative and data analytic skills to study infectious diseases and have provided me with incredible guidance every step of the way!
What advice would you give to prospective students considering applying to the EMD training programs at Yale?
Karthika: Don't be daunted by the application process! The most important thing you need to do is think about and show why you're interested in public health and infectious disease epidemiology and how doing an MPH in EMD will further your goals.