WSU faculty host free international seminar examining vector‑borne disease

Kelly Brayton (left) and Dana Shaw (right), faculty members of WSU’s Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology department

Two Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine faculty members have organized the second wave of a free, virtual seminar series centering on vector‑borne disease.

Every Friday, the Vector Biology 2020 Series II will feature nine speakers from agencies, labs and universities throughout the United States.

The seminar series is held via Zoom and was originally started by faculty at the University of Maryland as a way for vector biologists to communicate during the COVID‑19 pandemic.

However, due to the high attendance at the seminars, Professor Kelly Brayton and Assistant Professor Dana Shaw of WSU’s Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology department have continued the series.

So far, more there have been more than 300 registrants from around the world.

“This was a way to continue hearing about and communicating recent findings in our field when the COVID‑19 pandemic caused the cancellation of numerous conferences and seminars,” Shaw said. “The outcome ended up making science very accessible to a worldwide audience—this is the reason we are continuing the series despite being able to slowly get back in the lab.”

Registration for this series is free and seminars are every Friday at 9 a.m. Pacific Time from July 17 through Sept. 11. Featured speakers include: Geoff Attardo, University of California, Davis; Michael Povelones, University of Pennsylvania; Kristin Michel, Kansas State University; Lucas Tirloni, Rocky Mountain Labs, National Institutes of Health; George Dimopoulos, Johns Hopkins; Monika Gulia‑Nuss, University of Nevada, Reno; Job Lopez, Baylor College of Medicine; Shaden Kamhawi, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, NIH; Marshall Bloom, Rocky Mountain Labs, NIH. View the complete schedule online.

Please contact Dana Shaw (dana.shaw@wsu.edu) or Kelly Brayton (kbrayton@wsu.edu) for more information.

Next Story

Students design outdoor story walk for Keller schools

A group of WSU landscape architecture students is gaining hands‑on experience by designing an outdoor classroom with members of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Indian Reservation.

Recent News

E-tongue can detect white wine spoilage before humans can

While bearing little physical resemblance to its namesake, the strand-like sensory probes of the “e-tongue” still outperformed human senses when detecting contaminated wine in a recent WSU-led study.

Provost selection process ongoing

WSU expects to name its next provost before the end of April. President Kirk Schulz is actively considering two finalists, with feedback provided by the university community being a key factor in the decision.

Employee Assistance Program hosts special sessions, April 17

Washington State Employee Assistance Program Director Jennifer Nguyen will lead two discussions tomorrow on the topics of change and personal wellbeing. Both presentations will be livestreamed.