Table of Contents
- Letter from the Chair
- Grants & Awards
- Presentations
- Publications
- Research
- Tufts Wildlife Clinic
- Featured Community
- Student Corner
- Recent Events
- Updates & Reminders
- Wellness Corner
- Submissions
Letter from the Chair
Dear IDGH,
How wonderful it was to see everyone that could make it at our Spring Picnic. We lucked out with just a few rain drops and a nice few hours between morning showers and an afternoon downpour. Among other reasons to get together, we were celebrating the honor as Emeritus faculty that has been bestowed upon both Professor Saul Tzipori with his retirement from his faculty line position and transition to a research faculty appointment and to Professor Flo Tseng who will retire at the end of June this year. Flo and Saul have had very different careers and are great examples of the diverse talent and outstanding career accomplishments that characterize our faculty and which combine to make a unique and exciting department to be a part of. Congratulations to both and we look forward to their continued presence and involvement in our department’s future.
The past few years we’ve held our spring picnic in mid-May when we hope a warm day is a strong possibility, yet now it suddenly just about feels like summer is about to burst upon us. Despite the uncertainty in the scientific world, IDGH continues great work in the wildlife clinic, in research both large and small, and in teaching and service to our community and the world at large. As you ponder the coming summer, I hope you enjoy catching up on the latest in this edition of the IDGH newsletter in which you’ll see we also find time to enjoy life and adventure both on and outside the Cummings campus.
All the best,
Jon
Grants & Awards
Tracey Glover is receiving a Tufts Distinction Award for her hard work supporting the Masters in Conservation Medicine program. She was nominated by many familiar faces who recognized her dedication to Tufts, as well as her service to faculty members and students alike. Learn more about the award here, and attend the Awards Ceremony on 6/17 in the Joyce Cummings Center in Medford from 11AM - 1PM.
Presentations
Meera Gatlin gave the presentation, "Working Dogs and One Health," which covered how a One Health perspective can support police canine contributions to society and promote public safety in local communities. The talk was held on April 2nd at the Tufts Center for Animals and Public Policy's Animal Matters Seminar.
Marieke Rosenbaum and others gave the presentation, "Rats in the city: A look at rat allergen testing and sensitization in kids with asthma" at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii, on April 27th, 2025.
Publications
From the research group of Hellen Amuguni, Felicia Nutter, and Jon Gass: Integrating Human and Animal Health in the STOP Spillover Outbreak Scenarios (Disaster Med Public Health Prep. April 2025)
From the research group of Marieke Rosenbaum: Host population dynamics influence Leptospira spp. transmission patterns among Rattus norvegicus in Boston, Massachusetts, US (PLoS Negl Trop Dis. April 2025)
From the research group of Jon Runstadler: Pandemic risk stemming from the bovine H5N1 outbreak: an account of the knowns and unknowns (J Virol. April 2025)
From the research group of Yi-Pin Lin: Mechanistic insights into the structure-based design of a CspZ-targeting Lyme disease vaccine (Nat Commun. April 2025)
From the research group of Giovanni Widmer: Prevalence of Potentially Zoonotic Endoparasites in Domestic Dog Puppies (Vet Sci. April 2025)
From the research group of Sam Telford III: Tick feeding or vaccination with tick antigens elicits immunity to the Ixodes scapularis exoproteome in guinea pigs and humans (Sci Transl Med. March 2025)
From the research group of Akram Da'Dara and Patrick Skelly: Expression, Characterization and Selective Chemical Inhibition of Essential Schistosoma mansoni Tegumental Acetylcholinesterase (SmTAChE) (Int J Mol Sci. February 2025)
Tufts Wildlife Clinic
Bobcat That Was Successfully Treated and Released at Tufts Wildlife Clinic Spotted in Different Areas
Written by Patrick Fitzgerald
In late November of 2024, a call to the Wildlife Clinic was received about a bobcat that was struck by a vehicle. The bobcat, a young adult male, had signs of head trauma but did not have any fractures or wounds. Over the course of about 45 days, this bobcat was treated, monitored, and successfully released. Before being released, he was tagged with Mass Fish and Wildlife identification tags, one in each ear.
Since being released, this bobcat has been spotted in a few different areas that he has been travelling through. A few lucky individuals have seen this bobcat and have had the opportunity to admire and take pictures.
Animals with head trauma need to meet certain criteria to be released with the best chance of survival. They must show normal behavior and ambulation, and they must have a healthy fear of humans. If the animal meets all of these criteria, then they have a good prognosis for release.
It was an exciting moment to see the bobcat leave the clinic and be returned to where he came from. Seeing pictures and hearing about sightings after a release lets our staff know that they did an amazing job at making sure this bobcat was ready to continue living the life it was meant to in the wild. The staff here at the wildlife clinic work hard to ensure that animals treated here have a great chance of living a successful life once released.
Featured Community
Abhineet Sheoran
Associate Professor
How long have you worked at Tufts?
I started at Tufts in May 2000 and have now completed 25 years.
What do you teach? How do you like to teach?
I am Course Director and Instructor for the Immunology (VET 109-old curriculum, VMED 106-new curriculum) course. I used to teach a lot until last year as I was director of MS program in Infectious Disease and Global Health. I developed and directed many courses in the program. The program graduated >100 students and made a strong, positive impact on their careers.
I enjoy teaching and aim to motivate students to think critically and to augment their problem-solving skills, thus encouraging them to truly engage in active learning as opposed to memorize.
What is the best project you’ve worked on at Cummings?
It is hard to decide the best project. I have worked on many interesting research projects over the years including developing an antibody therapy for Shiga toxin-induced hemolytic uremic syndrome, investigating the immunological relatedness between Cryptosporidium parvum and C. hominis and identifying protective antigens that might lead to a vaccine, and pioneering a purification procedure to isolate Enterocytozoon bieneusi (a fungal pathogen of immunosuppressed individuals) from feces and developing antibody-based reagents to identify this pathogen. I have currently expanded my research interests to sexually transmitted diseases, in particular Treponema pallidum subs. pallidum (Tpp), the causative agent of syphilis. The aims are to determine minimal inhibitory concentration of antimicrobials in vitro against Tpp and investigate their efficacy in a rabbit model of Tpp infection.
What is your favorite thing about IDGH/Tufts?
My favorite thing about IDGH is that the colleagues are friendly, helpful and collaborative, but I also love our beautiful campus. With tree-lined paths, and quiet corners, it is perfect for enjoying the peace and picturesque nature. The best way to enjoy this beauty and feel at ease is taking a stroll around - which I do often. It’s the kind of place that makes you appreciate the little things—like the fresh air and calm surroundings.
What do you like to do in your free time?
In my free time, I love spending quality time with family and friends—it’s something that always recharges me and I can never get enough of all the laughs/memories I share with them. I also enjoy being outdoors, especially when I can immerse myself in nature. Hiking has been a long-time passion of mine. I used to hike frequently in the Himalayan ranges back in India, which gave me a deep appreciation for mountain landscapes and quiet trails. While I don’t get out as often as I’d like these days, I still make time for local hikes whenever possible—Wachusett Mountain is my favorite nearby spot. I also enjoy traveling and exploring new places, especially any chance to experience different cultures.
What is your favorite animal?
My favorite animal has always been the horse. There’s something deeply moving about their nature—so gentle and tame, yet full of life, energy, and quiet strength. There’s a quiet kind of power in horses that I find inspiring—they move with such grace but are capable of so much. I’ve always been drawn to them.
Carly Fernandes
Senior Research Technician in Lin Lab
How long have you worked at Tufts?
I’ve been at Tufts for just over one year. I used to work in New York under my current PI, Yi-Pin Lin, but when he moved his research to Tufts in February of 2024 I moved with the lab!
What kind of projects/research are you currently working on?
I’m currently working on a study involving the efficacy of vaccine constructs that focuses on the Borrelia surface protein OspA. I’m also doing work looking into the synergistic relationship between another Borrelia surface protein, CspZ, and the Ixodes tick salivary protein Salp20. Specifically, we’re looking at how the two act together to combat the host immune system and promote bacterial survival.
What do you like to do in your free time?
Lots of different crafts! I love to paint, crochet, and sculpt with air dry or polymer clay, and I’ll take any excuse to bake something. Now that the weather is finally warming up, I’m looking forward to going outside and enjoying any emerging greenery. I also collect vinyl records and antique pharmaceutical bottles.
Student Corner
View the faces, backgrounds and bios of selected students from the MS in Conservation Medicine (MCM) and MS in Animals and Public Policy (MAPP) Programs!
Wildlife Cameras Provide an Unfiltered View of the Natural World
Featuring Chris Whittier
In the Master’s in Conservation Medicine program, students learn to use camera traps to study animals on the Grafton campus and contribute to the health of animals nationwide.
Article features an incredible video featuring footage from camera traps.
Student Resources
Confidential Counseling
Confidential Counseling provides free and confidential counseling to Tufts students when navigating issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, homesickness, conflict, eating disorders, financial concerns, alcohol/substance abuse, family issues (divorce, illness, etc.), academic/life/work balance, and more.
For support, please call (800) 756-3124 - Available 24/7
Take Care Tuesdays
Come and meet with the Student Wellness Advisor, Lynn Roy, for a wellness check in, a snack, a self care activity and a word of encouragement!
Held every Tuesday from 12-1pm at Elm's.
New Community Pantry for Students
These resources are available to all students 24/7 who may be experiencing food insecurity. You will need your Tufts ID to access the building after hours. We just ask that you complete our "Check Out" form when using the pantry so we can continue to evaluate and adjust operations to efficiently support students' needs. The Community Pantry is the first of many steps as our campus aims to address basic needs challenges impacting our students, including food insecurity.
The Community Pantry is located within the Campus Center 2nd Floor (Between Quiet and Loud Lounges).
Recent Events
Department of IDGH's Spring Picnic/BBQ
IDGH held its' annual Spring Picnic/Barbeque event on 5/15 in the Building 20 Quadrangle. Jon Runstadler served all attendees yummy impossible burgers, as well as salads and his famous cookies.
Later in the picnic we celebrated with cake the awarding by the University and the Board of Trustees Emeritus/a status to both Flo Tseng and Saul Tzipori, recognizing their exceptional service and career at the University upon retirement. Saul continues as Research Professor and Flo will be close by when she retires July 1st. In short, that means we expect to continue seeing them both around Cummings a lot. :-) Congratulations!
We got to see a lot of faces we don't normally see, including Jon's playful chocolate lab, Winnie. The weather was a little less sunny than we would have hoped it would be, but that didn't keep us from having a big crowd and running out of cookies!
Updates & Reminders
Tufts University observes the following paid holidays throughout the year:
- Thursday, June 19th - Juneteenth
- Friday, July 4th - Independence Day
Jonathan Runstadler named Agnes Varis University Professor
Jon was named holder of the “Agnes Varis Professorship in Science and Society” by the Tufts Board of Trustees on April 1st, 2025. He was recognized for his leadership as the chair of IDGH, notably pursuing research that is made accessible to the public and shown to be essential to public, global health.
This professorship was established to draw attention to the growing importance of scientific and technological discovery to our lives and our society, and to encourage scholarly work pertaining to the interface of science and public policy on all the university's campuses.
Welcoming our new employees into IDGH!
Anne Fu, Research Technician in the Tzipori/Sheoran Lab
Previously an Intern, they have been hired as a full-time employee within the Tzipori/Sheoran lab.
"I recently graduated from Northeastern University with a B.S. in bioengineering and biochemistry. A few months ago I started working in the Sheoran Lab of the IDGH and I'm enjoying it here. I have a cat named Dollar and a lot of fish. I like drawing, rock climbing, going to concerts and cooking with friends in my free time. Thanks for welcoming me!"
Jake Montalto, Veterinary Technician II in the Tufts Wildlife Clinic
Previously working in the Tzipori Lab as a Research Technician, he has made a change in environment by moving into the Tufts Wildlife Clinic.
"When it comes to my experience in the lab, the transition was a relatively smooth one. I had a great experience working for Saul, but I'm very excited to be in the position I am currently in. Wildlife is a passion of mine, so I'm happy to be back in the field I have both experience with and a love for!"
Shannon O'Connor, Research Assistant in the Runstadler Lab
Previously a Research Assistant in the Tzipori Lab, she has transitioned into her current role as a Research Assistant in the Runstadler Lab.
"I was originally brought on as a Research Technician to the Tzipori lab in 2020, where over the years since then I worked on several projects within the laboratory including the evaluation of therapeutics for C. difficile and development of Hamster and Ferret reagents for Immunological studies. In 2023, I joined the MS in Conservation Medicine (MCM VG'25) program while continuing to work part time in Dr. Tzipori's lab through my classes over the following year. In order to complete my externship and case study for the master's program, I worked with Dr. Marieke Rosenbaum's lab, where in summer 2024 I traveled to complete a summer field season of work studying infectious diseases in Neotropical Primates in Peru with Ph.D. candidate Fernando Vilchez-Delgado and veterinary student Lin Zhou (V'27). After returning from Peru in fall 2024 I continued to work for the Tzipori lab until our project developing immunological reagents concluded in January 2025, and will be graduating shortly from the MCM program in the upcoming May commencement.
After a short break, I recently began working in the Runstadler Lab as a Research Assistant, beginning in April this year. In this position I'm now assisting with their laboratory's work studying influenza and SARS-CoV-2 in wildlife. I'm excited to be joining their group and to have the opportunity continue learning and working in this field of infectious disease!"
More Updates & Reminders
Do you have a Pcard? If so, read this: Only the card holder can add new grant numbers or DeptIDs to their profile. Proxies no longer have that ability. If you have a number to add, please reach out to Jean or Jenn for assistance and they will help you fill out the request form. If you frequently add new awards, you will want to bookmark the form’s page. Add cost centers here and click on P-card maintenance form.
Updated expense and expense-reimbursement policy: Policies are stricter than before. We will be sharing a summary of the major changes or updates that most affect IDGH via email to the department elist shortly. The changes go into effect July 1st, but you can review it now here.
Wildlife overflow parking lot closed for Summer: The overflow parking lot (gravel) on the side of the Bernice Barbour Wildlife Building will be closed for summer until about mid-August in order to support construction of a permanent lot. While this lot is closed, faculty and staff may park in the student-designated lots to the south of the David McGrath Veterinary Teaching Laboratory (including the new lot at the site of the former building G019), as well as the new, limited parking available along the north portion of Ridge Road.
Use time off or lose it: Remember to use your Personal Days no later than mid-June - unused time disappears at the end of the FY. Don't forget to use your vacation days as well, so you don’t reach your maximum accrual and stop accruing time! Your vacation balance can’t exceed one year’s worth of accrual. You can check your balance in eServe.
Annual Staff Performance Reviews: This process is going on now! Be sure to prepare by reflecting on all you've done in the past year. Staff should meet with their supervisors soon as performance review results need to be entered into eserve by June 20, 2025.
Free Travel & Entertainment Deals for KGA Members: Make sure to take advantage of all of your Tufts Employee Benefits this summer and beyond through KGA's MembersDeals, including many discounted tickets, travel savings, and more. Sign up with KGA for free prior to redeeming these Tufts employee rewards here.
Wellness Corner
Recent Wellness Events
The Cummings Mental Health & Wellbeing Group recently held held its' Finding Awe at Work and Beyond event on the sunny Tuesday of May 13th. The event featured a TON of different attractions - so many that they need to be listed below!
- An incredible agility and frisbee display featuring Breeze, a 6 year old border collie in the Phelps Field.
- Several raffles, one of which was for 2 tickets to the Tower Hill Botanical Gardens in Boylston, MA.
- SO much food! We ran out somehow... but we had vegetarian sushi, sandwiches, brownies, cookies, fruits, plenty of drinks, and grab-n-go snack bags.
- Fascinating displays of animal artifacts from the Tufts Wildlife Clinic, as well as rocks and crystals from several of our staff.
- Printed quotes from those who submitted stories of awe on the Cummings School campus.
- Free Milkweed seeds for growing a butterfly garden, and free pots and soil to get your seeds started.
- Lots of bubble stuff to make lots of small bubbles, or one big bubble!
- Hermie, who was brought to the event by Niki of Paws for People, made a special appearance.
- Katelin Murphy, a Histotechnologist in the CPGSR lab shared some fascinating microscopy images from the samples she has worked with. These pictures are truly a work of art, and they serve as a wonderful reminder to always find beauty in the small things.
- Two flyers were handed out: one listed the science of awe, awe-inspiring quotes, and some journal prompts to channel awe when needed, and the other flyer listed a variety of awe-inspiring attractions and locations to visit close by our Grafton campus.
- Reflective glass crystals were hung in the trees to emit pretty refractions of light in the sun.
- Take Care Tuesdays partnered with us to share information about the weekly event, a mood-identification board, mandalas and some snacks.
Attendees had a great time, many came by, many participated in making the event happen, and it was a wonderful way to kick off the end of the Spring semester.
Resources for Faculty & Staff
KGA, your Employee Assistance Program, offers free customized resources, in-the-moment emotional support and various professional consultations for you and all adults 18+ in your household - including family, roommates and partners!
- Telephone - (800-648-9557) 24/7 live access
- KGA LifeServices Platform to self-schedule, text/chat, and email.
- KGA Mobile app for 24/7 access anywhere (available in Apple and Google Play stores)
This Month's KGA Spotlight: Overcoming Burnout
We all have stress - it’s unavoidable. Sometimes stress gets so intense that it leads to burnout, and starts to affect our mental health, physical wellbeing, relationships and quality of work. Prioritize your wellbeing by learning strategies to overcome burnout and restore balance in your life with some of KGA's free resources below.
- Dealing with Burnout (Article)
- 3 Quick Tips to Reduce Stress (Video)
- The cure for burnout (hint: it isn't self-care) (Video)
- Bonus: In the Moment Support (Service)
Please note that to access these recourses, create a personal membership account on the KGA Platform. If you don't have an account with KGA, you can get started here.
Submissions
Jenn Keefe's time in Bonaire
"Bonaire is the B in the ABC islands, with Aruba and Curacao rounding out the trio. With its people, animals, and beauty, Bonaire is near and dear to my heart. I have been lucky enough to visit this Caribbean Island off the coast of Venezuela each year from 2019 through 2025, with the exception of 2021 when travel was still limited due to the pandemic. Although I have been there six times now, there is always something (or many somethings) that makes each trip special. Although I take hundreds of photos each time I visit, I share just a few from my last few trips and I hope they inspire you to visit this friendly and beautiful island or the vacation spot of your dreams."
The Runstadler Lab's Many Seal Sightings
Mid-December through February is the peak grey seal pupping season all along the Gulf of Maine. For the Runstadler Lab, it is all hands-on deck as we begin our field deployments for seal sampling season. Our lab focuses on three primary sampling locations: Muskeget Island, Great Point on Nantucket, and Monomoy Island.
Monomoy Island is one of the more "extreme" field sites, as we are staying out in an old lightkeeper’s quarters, primarily during the winter months of January and February. The lightkeeper’s quarters have limited insulation and no running water or heat in the winter. We bring out all of our food, water, propane, sampling gear, sample processing supplies and personal gear. Typically, we stay out on the island for approximately 5 days (+/- a day, or two, because of tides, wave height, weather etc.). We are at the mercy of our boat operators, tides and the boating conditions to get back off island, and plans do often shift. We always stock ourselves with extra food, water and fuel to prepare for the unpredictability of departure from the island.
Our goal on Monomoy is to sample approximately 25-50 weaned grey seal pups per year. In more recent years, we have been working in a single team of 5-7 people and we are primarily collecting swabs, blood, lanugo, morphometrics, and scat. In addition to the sampling effort, we also tag each animal with flipper tags. The goal of these pup captures is to look for evidence of influenza, morbillivirus, and SARS-CoV-2, documenting base levels of health, measuring contaminant loads, measuring immune health, and working to gather data and samples for additional collaborative projects. This current season marks 10 years of sampling grey seals out on Monomoy Island for the Runstadler Lab. Seals are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and all of our work and pup handling is permitted and approved by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
An Interesting Visitor Outside Building 20
As Michaela Randall entered Building 20 midday one Tuesday, a colorful traveler caught her eye. The Rosy Maple Moth was hiding itself in a corner right by the door-hinge of the main Building 20 entrance. She was captivated by its' beautiful bright pink and yellow coloring, and it was a small joy in her day!