1. Our New Book: Transforming Global Health Partnerships
2. Protecting Global Health Partnerships in the Era of Destructive Nationalism
3. LaBeaud Lab Greening Activities
4. Culmination of 5-year Brazil Yellow Fever Project
5. Grenada Hantavirus & Oropouche Project
6. HERI turns 4! Black Soldier Fly Farm Research Project Update
7. Stanford Plastics working
8. Recently Published Papers
9. Team Transitions: Welcomes and Goodbyes
A new open-access book that imagines a more equitable future for global health
Transforming Global Health Partnerships
In light of current federal cuts in global pubic health, this book comes at a perfect time to remind us all of the power of partnership. This is a book about the human experience of conducting global health research, linked to operational responses to the control and prevention of diseases worldwide. Rather than a manual or how-to guide, we propose a roadmap and vision of equitable, sustainable, and impactful partnerships shared through a rich interweaving of voices: North and South, academics and community practitioners, senior mentors and trainees, multiple generations, and multiple disciplines. We focus on the stories that need to be told, the successes and the failures, and visions for a healthier and more compassionate future for humanity. This book was written by more than 90 authors from 26 countries, bringing diverse perspectives on global health partnerships' past, present, and future. Although many of the chapters use examples related to infectious diseases, the ideas in this book are relevant to the broader field of global health research and practice. This vision is urgently needed to address the challenges emerging in the context of federal cuts to science and global aid, global climate change, emerging infectious disease threats, and other human and planetary threats.
We were approved to teach a new Stanford course, Equitable Partnerships in Health and Beyond, Spring Quarter 2026 (PEDS 237/EBS 237), based on this book. We are excited to share the learnings with Stanford graduate students and others!
A new editorial by our book authors sheds light on the impacts partnerships have in global health
Protecting Global Health Partnerships in the Era of Destructive Nationalism
Long-standing global partnerships, critical for protecting the health of human beings and the planet we share, are under attack in 2025. Around the world, a pendulum swing towards nationalism and populism has threatened to destroy international scientific collaborations that took decades to build. Globally, the rise of hard-right extremism jeopardizes fragile structures established to protect the health and human rights of people everywhere. The chaos of haphazard disruption, devoid of accountability, normalizes a lack of perceived responsibility for our fellow human beings. Reckless global socio-political shifts hurt all of us, as citizens of one world, sharing its limited resources and facing common threats of diseases that respect neither borders nor executive orders. As scientists and global health advocates, we have dedicated our careers (and much of our lives) to developing and testing innovative solutions that anticipate, prevent, manage, and eliminate serious threats to the health of our global community. Our new reality drives us to continue our work. We are accustomed to challenges and recognize their capacity to strengthen our vision for the future. We have learned important lessons over decades of combined experience, and we have joined forces, across the globe, to communicate these broadly. We believe that long-term, trusting, resilient global partnerships have the potential to carry our global community through crises. If the global health community is to weather the current storm, we must rebuild, restore, and reinforce our critically important bridges of collaboration by tethering them to a set of solid, tested foundations.
Joy and Esra have been busy over the last year creating a Lab Greening Toolkit. This toolkit will serve as a resource for wet labs and health professionals within and outside of Stanford to understand the steps they can take to make their research more environmentally friendly. This toolkit includes a section dedicated to outlining the steps needed for a waste audit, in addition to a section highlighting biodegradable alternatives to common lab materials. Also, this toolkit includes links to additional Stanford and non-Stanford resources that provide additional information on sustainable actions labs can take to reduce their carbon emissions. The hope is that the final iteration of this toolkit will be published widely across Stanford and help encourage labs and health professionals to take appropriate steps toward greener research practices.
5-year Yellow Fever project in Brazil ends
As we approach the conclusion of the Minas Gerais State Yellow Fever Research and Response Study Group project this June, we reflect on nearly a decade of collaborative research sparked by the 2016–2018 yellow fever outbreak in Brazil. An NIH R01 grant brought together researchers from Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - Fiocruz Minas, Eduardo de Menezes Hospital, and Stanford University to investigate the clinical, immunological, and virological aspects of yellow fever disease. Through patient recruitment, long-term follow-up, and the establishment of the Minas Gerais Yellow Fever Biorepository, we’ve generated key findings that have advanced the understanding of yellow fever pathogenesis and clinical outcomes. As we finalize publications and prepare to present our results at scientific events in Brazil and the U.S. later this year, we take pride in the lasting contributions this project has made to science and public health preparedness. Please see the above website for more information on our collaboration and results.
Hantavirus & Oropouche Project Update
Our new project in Grenada, “A One Health Pilot Study to Estimate Hantavirus Disease Burden and Ecology Grenada”, led by Dr. Brian Dawes, has officially launched in Grenada. We are continuing to enroll febrile human patients across Grenada to be tested for active and prior hantavirus infection. Additionally, Dr. Sonia Cheetham has made progress capturing 44 rodents and 46 bats for hantavirus testing. In the LaBeaud lab, we have validated our pan-hantavirus RT-PCR assay and, in the coming weeks, will finish validation of our rodent and bat anti-hantavirus ELISAs. We are expecting this project to be completed by the end of the year.
Similar to this project, we plan on launching testing for another rare arbovirus, Oropouche virus, later this Fall. Oropouche is a virus spread by biting midges, typically found in the Amazon. Last year, Brazil experienced a massive Oropouche virus epidemic, which spread to surrounding countries as far as Cuba and the Dominican Republic. Because the human samples we collected occurred during these nearby epidemics, we will add testing to see if Oropouche reached Grenada.
HERI Black Soldier Fly Farm Research Project Update
The HERI Kenya black soldier fly (BSF) farm was launched in January 2025 through funding from the Center for Human and Planetary Health Disease Ecology in a Changing World initiative. The farm is making remarkable advancements this spring. Frass, the nutrient-rich residue from BSF, is now being utilized to fertilize our crops, while our chickens are actively laying eggs! With a growing market for BSF larvae, we’re not only using hotel food waste but also trialing chicken manure to sustain our larvae. We are also developing an educational curriculum and poetry to further our impact. Exciting construction projects are underway to enhance the sustainability of our BSF operation, and we've applied for grants to support plastic biodegradation experiments, disease suppression, and women's empowerment initiatives. As a female-led venture, our BSF farm is gaining momentum, with valuable learning experiences occurring every week, paving the way for a brighter, healthier future. Please follow HERI social media to stay up to date on progress!
Happy 4th birthday to HERI-Kenya!!!
Stanford Plastic and Health Working Group is Growing...
The Plastic and Health Working Group at Stanford has expanded to nearly 90 members, representing every school as well as diverse external partners from policy, technology, health, and the arts. Our collaborative efforts are focused on developing a comprehensive One Health microbeads policy paper and pursuing interdisciplinary grants aimed at investigating organisms capable of biodegrading plastic. Our initiatives encompass a wide range of themes, including plastic reduction on campus, Indigenous health, UN Plastic Treaty, raising awareness through art, and innovating plastic measurement devices. We invite you to join our monthly meetings as we explore various facets of plastic reduction and examine the health impacts on both people and the planet.
Recently Published Papers
Dawes, B. E., De La Mota-Peynado, A., Rezende, I. M., Buyukcangaz, E. K., Harvey, A. M., Gerken, K. N., Winter, C. A., Bayrau, B., Mitzel, D. N., Waggoner, J. J., Pinsky, B. A., Wilson, W. C., & LaBeaud, A. D. (2025). Rift Valley fever virus infectivity in milk stored at a wide range of temperatures. The Journal of Infectious Diseases. https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiaf060
Bayrau, B. A., Buyukcangaz, E., Sadarangani, S. P., Ondigo, B. N., Prinzi, A., & LaBeaud, A. D. (2025). (un)sustainable science: Greening practices in research, clinical microbiology, and Veterinary Laboratories locally and globally. Open Forum Infectious Diseases, 12(2). https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofae677
Rosser, J. I., Openshaw, J. J., Lin, A., Taruc, R. R., Tela, A., Tamodding, N., Abdullah, N. P., Amiruddin, M., Buyukcangaz, E., Barker, S. F., Turagabeci, A., Ansariadi, Leder, K., & Wahid, I. (2025). Seroprevalence, incidence estimates, and environmental risk factors for Dengue, chikungunya, and Zika infection amongst children living in informal urban settlements in Indonesia and Fiji. BMC Infectious Diseases, 25(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12879-024-10315-1
Smith, A., Bayrau, B. A., Ichura, C., Altamirano, J., King, C., Malhotra, I., Mungai, P., Mutuku, F., Mukoko, D., & LaBeaud, A. D. (2025). Exposure to dengue virus during pregnancy: Incidence and impact on maternal and child outcomes. The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 112(2), 396–402. https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.24-0387
Rezende, I. M., Sacchetto, L., Alves, P. A., Labeaud, A. D., & Drumond, B. P. (2025). Yellow fever virus genotyping tool using RT-qPCR followed by nucleotide sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Methods in Molecular Biology, 153–166. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-4458-4_13
Kiener, M., Ichura, C., Ndenga, B. A., Mutuku, F. M., Winter, C. A., Okuta, V., Mwambingu, L., Ogamba, K., Shaita, K. N., Ronga, C., Chebii, P., Amugongo, J., Malumbo, S., Godana, O., Jembe, Z., Ng’ang’a, C., Mazera, M., & LaBeaud, A. D. (2025). Antibiotic prescribing patterns at outpatient clinics in western and coastal Kenya. PLOS Global Public Health, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0004109
Peña-García, V. H., LaBeaud, A. D., Ndenga, B. A., Mutuku, F. M., Bisanzio, D., Andrews, J. R., & Mordecai, E. A. (2025). Non-household environments make a major contribution to dengue transmission: Implications for vector control. Royal Society Open Science, 12(4). https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.241919
McClure, M., Rezende, I. M., Pereira, L. S., Dutra, M. R., Fradico, J. R., Macedo, R., Marçal, M. C., Fonte Boa, L. S., Bragato, A. M., Faria, F. A., Pamplona, L., Said, R. F., Calzavara-Silva, C. E., Ramalho, D. B., Magalhães, C. L., Alves, P. A., Gama, T. D., Cota, G. F., Monath, T. P., … LaBeaud, A. D. (2025). Risk factors associated with in-hospital mortality during yellow fever outbreak in Brazil. Frontiers in Medicine, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2025.1505005
Omurtag, A., Abdulbaki, S., Thesen, T., Waechter, R., Landon, B., Evans, R., Dlugos, D., Chari, G., LaBeaud, A. D., Hassan, Y. I., Fernandes, M., & Blackmon, K. (2025). Disruption of functional network development in children with prenatal zika virus exposure revealed by resting-state EEG. Scientific Reports, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-90860-0
Team Transitions: Welcomes and Goodbyes
Welcome: Amelia Mohn Meyer, Research Program Manager
Amelia is a Research Program Manager specializing in One Health, dedicated to developing applied solutions with the Labeaud lab that prevent the spread of environmentally mediated infectious diseases while supporting nature, frontline communities, planetary health, and climate resilience. With a deep commitment to sustainability and systems thinking, she is designing science-driven, tactical solutions that connect global and local scales, bridging disciplines to advance innovative ecological approaches that enhance both human and environmental health. In the Labeaud lab, as a creative and interdisciplinary environmental scientist, she is developing holistic, quantifiable strategies for sustainable agriculture, climate change mitigation, and ecosystem restoration. Her vision centers on reimagining a future rooted in planetary health, circular economies, environmental justice, and eco-conscious living. She has lived and worked in five countries and brings a collaborative spirit to her work. She holds a BA in Geography, a BS in Environmental Science, and a MSc Double Degree in Environmental Science and Management. Inspired by a passion for creating a healthier planet, she also expresses her environmentalism through eco-poetry and enjoys biking and hiking in her free time.
Welcome: Hailey Ramzan
Hailey Ramzan is a sophomore at Stanford from New York City studying Human Biology and Political Science, deeply committed to advancing global health and health equity. She serves as Vice President of the Global Health Student Council and Vice President of Philanthropy for Alpha Phi, where she leads initiatives supporting underserved communities. Through her work at the FLI Student Success Center, she advocates for first-generation, low-income students, and as an intern with Safe Scrubs Against the Firearm Epidemic, she leads efforts to expand firearm safety education in under-resourced areas. She also volunteers with the East Palo Alto Mayor’s Office, supporting community-based health initiatives. Outside of her academic and advocacy work, she is very passionate about exploring the arts and culture through serving on the Executive Board of the Caribbean Students Association and directing Stanford’s iconic theatrical production of Gaieties. This summer, she’s thrilled to have been selected for Stanford’s Global Health Seminar program where she will be traveling to South Africa to study public health systems firsthand. In the LaBeaud Lab, Hailey is involved with research on Dengue virus serotypes 1 and 3, studying their impacts and transmission—she’s so grateful to be a part of such an incredibly impactful team!
Goodbye: Victor Hugo Pena Garcia
Victor is a Colombian scientist specializing in vector-borne diseases. His research combines modeling and data analysis to understand how urban environments shape dengue transmission and to evaluate vaccination strategies for typhoid fever. After postdocs focused on dengue in one lab and typhoid in the Andrews lab, he’s now looking forward to continuing work on infectious disease modeling and interventions to support global health. Victor will be heading home to Colombia with his family in Summer 2025 after spending three years as a postdoc at Stanford. We wish him much success in his future endeavors.
Goodbye: Joy Molloy
Joy is originally from the U.S. Virgin Islands, but grew up in Charlotte, NC and has been with the LaBeaud Lab since June of 2023. Her most recent project with the lab has been creating an online lab sustainability toolkit that research labs can utilize to become more environmentally friendly (see above). Joy will be graduating from Stanford with a B.S. in Human Biology and a minor in Human Rights. After graduation, Joy will be taking a gap year to work a clinical job before medical school. Good luck, Joy!
Goodbye: Koree French
Koree is originally from Kansas City, Missouri, and she has been with the lab since March of 2024. She will be graduating with her B.S. in Human Biology and minors in Creative Writing and Notation in Science Communication. Her most recent project with the lab has been assisting in gathering data to implement in simulating the consequences of Rift Valley Fever Virus via raw milk in Kenya and helping conduct ELISAs for co-infection of arboviruses and malaria in the highlands in Kenya. After graduation, Koree will be taking a gap year working in a research lab. She plans on getting her Ph.D after her gap year. All the best to you, Koree!
Have a Great Summer!!
Credits:
Created with images by tonktiti - "Copy space of tropical palm tree with sun light on sky background." • abimagestudio - "plastic bottles,Recycle waste management concept." • tonktiti - "Tropical palm tree with colorful bokeh sun light on sunset sky cloud abstract background." • magele-picture - "Welcome to our Team! "