he University of Georgia is a global leader on infectious disease research. Infectious disease researchers at UGA CPH study HIV, tuberculosis, influenza, Zika, and more recently SARS-CoV-2 to understand the transmission, epidemiology, treatment, and prevention of these infectious diseases.

Faculty Experts

Justin Bahl
Pathogen genomics, influenza, COVID-19. RSV

Spencer Fox
Forecasting, COVID-19, mPox

Erin Lipp
Wastewater epidemiology, waterborne pathogens

Andreas Handel
Norovirus, influenza

Amy Winter
Predictive modeling, measles & rubella

Christopher Whalen
Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS

Selected Projects & Groups

Center for Applied Pathogen Epidemiology and Outbreak Response (CAPE)

PI: Justin Bahl

CAPE is one of five CDC-funded national Pathogen Genomics Centers of Excellence. The goal of the funding opportunity is to more closely link molecular epidemiology academic research with public health practice and prepare the workforce with skills to use multiple data streams and modeling approaches to respond to infectious disease threats more effectively.

Lipp Lab

PI: Erin Lipp
Lab Website

The Lipp Lab investigates environmental microbiology at the intersection of microbial ecology, marine science, climate science, and public health. Research is focused on water, waterborne disease and microbial ecology of pathogens to better understand transmission of pathogens and infectious diseases.

Fogarty International Center of the National Institutes of Health

PI: Chris Whalen

In partnership with Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda, Dr. Whalen is training two predoctoral students in molecular and computational epidemiology, as well as offered non-degree technical training in computational epidemiology and bioinformatics, and supported a variety of additional research and training activities in Uganda. Training was integrated into ongoing research projects Whalen has led to investigate how daily social interactions contribute to TB transmission in the context of a mature HIV epidemic.

Assessing global measles outbreak risk via classification methods

PI: Amy Winter

Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Dr. Winter is collaborating with a team of scientists including UGA’s John Drake and partners from Pennsylvania State University and Johns Hopkins University to utilize classification methods to develop global-scale, data-driven measles outbreak prediction models to assess the risk of outbreaks and inform decision-making for timely intervention.