The Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology (IDM) is committed to training the next generation of scientists and public health professionals to enhance the control of infectious diseases in the human population.
News
From dual undergrad degrees to doctoral candidate
Mae Horne, doctoral student in infectious diseases and microbiology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, conducts research in the Silva Laboratory at the Rangos Research Center at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Her work focuses on how chikungunya virus, a re-emerging mosquito-borne pathogen, attaches to and enters human cells. A central question guiding her work is why certain viral strains cause more severe disease than others.
New laboratory models reveal how Oropouche virus affects brain cells
Research conducted in the laboratory of Amy Hartman, PhD, associate professor of infectious diseases and microbiology, and published in PLoS Pathogens, sheds light on why a mosquito-borne virus has been linked to serious neurological problems during an ongoing outbreak in South and Central America.
Study will investigate suicide-related stressors facing Pennsylvania farmers
The University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health is launching a new study—funded by the Poultry and Livestock Center of Excellence—to investigate mental health challenges facing Pennsylvania’s poultry and swine farmers, including challenges exacerbated by infectious disease outbreaks and related disruptions. The exploratory project will examine the factors contributing to depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation within this essential workforce.