Table of Contents
- Letter from the Chair
- Presentations
- Publications
- Research
- Tufts Wildlife Clinic
- Featured Community
- Student Corner
- Recent Events
- Reminders
- Wellness Corner
- Submissions
Letter from the Chair
Dear All,
Fall is my favorite season of the year - beautiful crisp fall days with occasional warm reminders of the summer gone by and a palpable change that fills the air. I suppose it is because I grew up loving the winter season too with ice hockey and skiing being seasonal activities I looked forward to, but to me it seems a season of anticipation and activity which together are exciting. For IDGH, the activity of this season included a new Fall outdoor lunch featuring volleyball & pickleball that was great fun and is likely to be added to our annual events. It also included the first meetings of the Department Communications and Graduate Programs committees who are both peering into the future to improve and prepare us to better function, improve our work environment, and meet the School mission.
I hope you are also invigorated by the fall and looking forward to the challenges the coming season will bring. As always, if you have ideas or want to share your thoughts on the newsletter, please reach out to me and michaela.randall@tufts.edu.
Thank you,
Jon
Presentations
Akram Da’dara and Patrick Skelly attended the New England Neglected Tropical Diseases Consortium Meeting at Novartis Biomedical Research in Cambridge, MA on September 25, 2024.
Saul Tzipori gave a seminar at UMASS Amherst on October 10th, entitled: The anatomy of the interface between enteric pathogens and the GI mucosa.
Jon Runstadler was invited to give a “Hot topics” presentation on H5N1 at the USAHA conference in Nashville on October 16th. The title of his talk was “Influenza - past, present, and future.”
Marieke Rosenbaum gave an oral presentation on October 28th at the American Public Health Association’s (APHA) Annual Meeting and Expo entitled: Rat 311 call activity changes associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in a major US city. The APHA Annual Meeting and Expo took place in Minneapolis from October 27th - 30th.
Hellen Amuguni recently presented at the WHO webinar on November 7th. Her topic was Building a One Health workforce by integrating One Health core competencies into courses, curricula and University programs.
Publications
From the research group of Chuck Shoemaker & Saul Tzipori: An anti-Shiga toxin VHH nanobody multimer protects mice against fatal toxicosis when administered intramuscularly as repRNA. (October 2024)
Jon Runstadler: Global influenza threatens conservation. (November 2024)
From the research group of Heidi Goethert & Sam Telford III: Minor Hosts Have a Major Impact on the Enzootic Transmission of Borrelia burgdorferi. (November 2024)
Tufts Wildlife Clinic
This year at the Tufts Wildlife Clinic will be one to remember. 2024 is on track to be one of the top 3 busiest years in the clinic’s history, with admissions surpassing 4100 as of November 1st. In 2019, the number of patients admitted was 4410, the most that the clinic has ever had in a calendar year.
This year’s babies may have grown up, but there is still wildlife in need of care. The clinic has had 34 great horned owls admitted so far this year. Of those admitted, 6 of them were entangled in wire, fishing line, or soccer nets, including the one in photo included here.
This patient has been in care for 81 days while the severe wounds on both wings caused by soccer net entanglement healed. Entanglement injuries can be difficult to treat, but the staff at the clinic rises to the challenge, taking their jobs and the lives of the animals seriously. This great horned owl will soon be ready for release!
While spring and summer bring many turtle patients into the clinic, in the fall our turtles go into a dormant state for the winter called brumation. Some of our turtle patients spend the winter with us to continue healing so that they are as healthy as possible when we release them in the spring. One such patient is the Blanding’s turtle shown here, who is being treated for a leg injury. Blanding’s turtles are a threatened species in Massachusetts.
Our staff, faculty, students, and volunteers are dedicated, compassionate, and work hard to ensure that wildlife receives great care. They take pride in providing care that these animals need, and they are overjoyed when an animal is fully recovered.
Please enjoy these Fall photos of some of clinic patients.
Featured Community
Dr. Meera Gatlin
Assistant Teaching Professor
I am a public health veterinarian and I oversee the dual degree DVM/MPH program here at Cummings School in collaboration with Tufts School of Medicine. I got my DVM and MPH degrees from Tufts in 2016 and went directly into small animal general practice full time until 2020, when I came to this position as an assistant teaching professor. I became board certified in the American College of Veterinary Preventive Medicine in 2023. As the program leader for the DVM/MPH program, I teach, mentor, and advise these students, really getting to know them over their 4 years here. I still am a small animal general practitioner, I do practice at my old clinic in Framingham, MA intermittently. From my time in practice, I have additional training in advanced reproductive techniques in dogs, though I am not a theriogenologist. Public health will always be my first love!
What do I teach?
I primarily teach veterinary public health courses to DVM and DVM/MPH students throughout their 3 pre-clinical years, including DVM/MPH Integration Seminar, Global Population Health, One Health, Legal Basis for Veterinary Public Health, and Food Safety for Veterinarians. I also teach Canine Reproductive Pathophysiology and Canine Theriogenology to second year DVM and third year DVM students, respectively, and lead the Tufts-AKC Canine Whelping selective. I also enjoy facilitating in Communications and Clinical Skills small groups.
What projects and research are you currently working on?
I should start by saying that I love working dogs – these dogs are intentionally bred for a purpose, often outside of companionship as we are used to in the United States. Combining this with my interests in veterinary medicine and public health, I have gone down the unusual path of researching how local law enforcement uses police dogs (stylized as K9s) in ensuring public safety, as an extension of public health. I have a few projects, including a partnership with the Worcester Police Department to evaluate their K9 unit deployments and a nationwide study with the PennVet Working Dog Center to survey training and certification impacts on health and safety outcomes for K9s and their handlers. Lastly, I have a grant from the Tufts Center for Animals and Public Policy to study how K9 training forges the human-animal bond and the impact this has on local public safety from the handler’s perspective; I am studying both patrol K9s and comfort K9s with the hopes of addressing future policy at the state level.
What pets do you have?
I have 2 purebred corgis. My male, Turner, is a Pembroke Welsh Corgi and he is a show and breeding dog, though he is terrible at both those things. My female, Cedar, is a Cardigan Welsh Corgi and we did performance sports briefly before we pulled her from breeding due to failed health clearances. Both my dogs are excellent teaching dogs and they spend a lot of time with my students. However, their primary purpose now is to be couch potatoes.
What do I do in my free time?
I have two kids, a 4-year old daughter and a 2-year old son, who keep me pretty busy. We love to do local weekend excursions throughout New England. I love stationery and pens; I am a fountain pen enthusiast and writing/journaling is a therapeutic outlet for me. I am also an avid science fiction and fantasy (romantasy!) reader and I love Bollywood music.
Alexa Simulynas
Research Assistant to Runstadler Lab
What kind of projects/research are you currently working on? (if applicable)
I assist with all projects within the Runstadler Lab. Our current projects include ongoing high and low path influenza surveillance and SARS-CoV2 surveillance in wildlife, processing samples submitted by wildlife rehabilitation centers and stranding groups across the country. Also, within our influenza surveillance project, the Runstadler lab has spearheaded a 10+ year study of influenza in seal pups in the Northwest Atlantic. For this project, we deploy field teams in various coastal seal haul-out areas, mainly around the Cape and Nantucket, to capture weaned seal pups and collect various samples. We are quickly approaching our next sampling season, which means supply prep and sampling gear organization is underway.
In addition to our wildlife surveillance, we are also working on a pilot project on viral detection in wastewater. We are currently monitoring human wastewater, with the hopes of potentially expanding the project to applications closer to the human-animal interface.
How long have you worked at Tufts?
I have worked at Tufts for 8 and a half years now.
What is your favorite thing about IDGH/Tufts?
Aside from the beautiful campus itself, my favorite thing about IDGH and Tufts Cummings School is the One Health effort/focus. Approaching research with a One Health mindset really has so many benefits for disease monitoring, planning and management strategies. It is so valuable to look at dynamics between not only humans, but also the animal and environmental components feeding into the larger system. This department, and the school as a whole, is positioned so nicely to study that human-animal interface.
What do you like to do in your free time?
In my free time, I enjoy various arts and crafts, ranging from Cricut vinyl/paper cutting to furniture restoration/upcycling. Getting to be creative, in any way I can, has always been a favorite hobby of mine. In addition to crafting, I also enjoy antiquing, thrifting and watching Bruins Hockey games and football with my husband, Scott.
What do you do at Cummings?
I am a research assistant in the IDGH department within the Runstadler Lab. I support all projects within my lab, teaching prep, preforming various assays, ordering supplies, shipping materials to collaborators/sampling crews and supporting our lab's work in both building 20, as well as in the Regional Biosafety Laboratory, across campus.
What pets do you have?
I have a 6-and-a-half-year-old rescue cat named Reilly Brees. She was actually adopted as a result of our lab's response to a seal outbreak in 2018. My husband and I adopted Reilly through one of the Runstadler Lab's collaborators during a seal unusual mortality event. Marine Mammals of Maine was fostering kittens at their facility during a phocine distemper outbreak. Our lab assisted their group with animal beach response and the necropsies of numerous deceased seals. During my time at their facility, I bonded with Reilly and could not leave her behind. She was a positive result of a very difficult response effort and she has been such a wonderful addition to our household.
What is your favorite animal?
A very tough question. Not sure I can choose just one. My favorite animals are seals, sea stars and sea turtles. It is hard not to grow quite fond of seals with the field work that we do. That said, marine animals have always been a love of mine.
What is the best project you’ve worked on at Cummings?
Not hard to guess, given my above answers, but the Runstadler lab seal sampling project has been my favorite project to have the privilege of working on, to date. Though the animal sampling and surveillance is the main goal of the project, the organizational ties, collaborations and friendships that have come along with the project truly make it so productive, long-lasting and rewarding.
Student Corner
MS in Conservation Medicine (MCM)
Selin Kubali
(New York / Massachusetts) Biology & Statistical and Data Sciences - Smith College 2023
Program Interest: One Health is compelling to me because I find the ways health and medicine are intertwined with culture and environment fascinating. I also think zoonotic diseases are an especially good place to make an impact, because of how devastating they can be and how early they can be caught.
Experience: I've worked primarily in medicine-adjacent fields. Some of the volunteering and research I have done (mosquito gene editing, antimicrobial resistance policymaking) has had ecology and animal policy buried in it, which helped spur my interest in conservation medicine.
Hobbies: I am interested in martial arts of any kind (I’ve done fencing and taekwondo), climbing, mediocre guitar/singing/drawing/writing, reading good history books, reading and getting mad at bad popular science books, and going to strange community events.
Elaina Savage
(North Carolina) Zoology, minors Plant Biology and Wildlife Science - North Carolina State University 2022
I am pursuing MCM for its interdisciplinary curriculum, one health focus, and exposure to different perspectives and professionals with similar passions. I find the impacts of culture, climate change, and socioeconomics on wildlife health and management intriguing.
During my undergraduate studies, I researched lemur behavior at the Duke Lemur Center and conducted an elephant welfare research project at the NC Zoo. I’ve also participated in multiple study abroad programs that exposed me to various conservation projects and wildlife health management techniques. I have been a vet tech at a cat and dog general practice for the past few years. Additionally, I’ve volunteered at Piedmont Wildlife Center, MARS Wildlife Rehabilitation Hospital, NC State’s Turtle Rescue Team, Virginia Tech’s Jaguar Conservation Project in Belize, and a community garden.
I plan to attend vet school and obtain a DVM. My goal is to become a wildlife veterinarian who assists with conservation projects and closes the gap between humans and nature. I aspire to work for wildlife management agencies and assist with environmental toxicity and disease management.
McKenzie Langford
(Germany / Maryland) General Studies, minors Geology and Anthropology - College of Charleston 2021
I chose to pursue the Conservation Medicine degree because of its increasing importance due to the climate crisis. My background is in environmental sciences; however, I am also passionate about veterinary medicine and large-scale animal health. The One Health approach embraced by MCM will undoubtedly further my understanding of the interconnectedness between animals, humans, and the planet.
Planetary and animal health have always been important to me and have guided me in my education and career choices. Throughout my undergraduate degree, I assisted in geologic and environmental research projects in India and Iceland, which exposed me to different viewpoints regarding animals, humans, and the environment.
I decided to explore small animal medicine after obtaining my degree. While I’ve enjoyed working as a veterinary neurology/surgery anesthetist for the last 7 years, I would like to be able to combine my love for veterinary medicine and climate crisis mitigation.
Outside of work and academia, I spend my time playing volleyball, hiking with my dogs, or playing Mario Kart.
Devon Baert
(Maine) Marine Biology - University of Maine 2022
Conservation is crucial for protecting the biodiversity that makes our planet vibrant, with every species playing a vital role in the web of life. By safeguarding habitats and promoting sustainability, we ensure future generations can enjoy the same thriving ecosystems. For me, conservation means nurturing the interconnectedness of all life and fostering a world where people and nature thrive together. The MCM program perfectly aligns with this vision, offering an interdisciplinary approach that integrates veterinary science, wildlife biology, and environmental health to tackle complex conservation challenges.
My experience with sea turtles has been both extensive and fulfilling. I started by volunteering in Costa Rica, focusing on nesting site monitoring and conservation. This led to an internship at the New England Aquarium’s rescue and rehabilitation center, where I assisted with the care of injured sea turtles. I further honed my skills through a clinical internship in veterinary techniques and continued to develop them as seasonal staff at the aquarium. These experiences have deepened my passion for marine conservation and rescue work.
My experiences have ignited a passion for marine rescue and rehabilitation, combining my love for marine life with a commitment to advancing conservation and recovery efforts. I’m focused on improving rehabilitation techniques, advocating for stronger marine protection policies, and tackling oceanic challenges like habitat degradation. My goal is to work towards a future where marine life and human communities thrive together in a sustainable ocean environment.
Grace Ann (She/her)
(Illinois / Idaho) Anthropological Sciences, minor Zoology - Ohio State University 2024
My main experiences lie with non-human primates. I was a chimp care intern at Project Chimps, a sanctuary for retired medical research chimpanzees. I co-authored a children’s book about one of the chimps at the sanctuary with Green Kids Club, Inc., where I interned. I also interned on Capitol Hill for a representative to learn about wildlife policy in the U.S. My undergraduate research thesis revolved around Old World monkey dental development, and I collected data at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and Natural History Museum of London. After learning about One Health while at THE Ohio State, the program at the Cummings School seemed like the perfect intersection of my anthropology and zoology interests.
My lifelong goal has been to work in primate conservation.
I play ice hockey and worked as an Ice Girl for the Columbus Blue Jackets. I enjoy pottery, knitting, film photography, reading, hiking, and watersports. I am also a dog mama to my sweet girl Dolly!
MS in Animals and Public Policy (MAPP)
Guntaaz Kaur (She/her)
(Michigan) B.S. in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience, University of Michigan- AnnArbor, 2024
I have a passion for animals that drove me to working as a vet assistant for two years, and then work at a bird rehab center in Michigan for one summer, and then work at a wildlife rehab center in Wisconsin for one summer. The differences between wildlife rehab and standard vet medicine are vast, and I would love to be able to bridge that gap. The MAPP program will equip me with more knowledge in understanding this disparity better. After completing the MAPP program, I hope to attend vet school at Cummings.
I hope to become a veterinarian one day, but before doing that I want to understand current animal laws. I can use this knowledge to be a better vet for my patients by being knowledgeable on areas that need reforms, and maybe even help create those positive changes.
Sally Padilla (She/her)
(Los Angeles, CA)B.S., Biology, Cal State University Long Beach, 2016
I am pursuing my MAPP degree because I love animals and I understand that there is a large gap between humans and animals that needs to be bridged. I would like to provide resources and tools so that humans better understand animals as well as provide safe spaces for animals to be themselves and live freely.
Before entering the MAPP program I was working as a vet assistant, and have volunteered in shelters for various cities, as well as worked in vet clinics and I have seen firsthand how everything is interconnected. After completing the program I would like to apply to vet school at Tufts and other colleges and pursue my DVM as that has always been my lifelong dream.
My goal is to focus on companion animals and improving their well-being when it comes to medical costs and care.
Alex Cernelich (She/her)
(Cleveland, OH) B.S., Equine Pre-Veterinary/Pre-Graduate Studies, Otterbein University, 2023
After taking various different animal-focused courses in my undergraduate education, I found that I was most interested in the classes that considered animal welfare, activism, and the controversial issues surrounding human/animal relationships. I wanted to expand my knowledge in this field, so I began to research master’s programs that combined my love for animals with my interest in politics and writing. The diverse curriculum and well-respected veterinary school are what ultimately helped me land on Tufts’ MAPP program.
I have taken several college classes where I researched and formed an opinion on controversial animal rights issues such as Thoroughbred racing, animal hoarding, the pregnant mare urine industry, and slaughter. I have also spent time in small animal veterinary clinics, pet boarding facilities, therapeutic riding programs and wildlife rehabilitation centers. I am particularly interested in the protection of endangered species, wildlife rehabilitation, and wild horse management.
I’m still deciding on my plans following graduation, but I eventually hope to pursue my doctorate degree.
Sophia Frank (She/her)
(Rochester, NY) B.S. Psychology with minors in Biology and Art, Western Carolina University, 2022
I was drawn to the MAPP program over other animal welfare programs because of its unique approach. Most other programs are focused on “food” animals and how to make meat and dairy industries more productive. The MAPP program understands that animals are their own dynamic beings who exist outside of the labels we give them. It looks at animal welfare from a more animal-centric perspective rather than an anthropocentric one. As humans are responsible for the welfare of so many different species, it is important to me we try to best understand their needs outside of our own.
Student Resources
Confidential Counselling
Confidential Counselling provides free and confidential counseling to Tufts students when navigating:
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Homesickness
- Conflict
- Eating Disorders
- Financial Concerns
- Alcohol/Substance Abuse
- Family Issues (Divorce, Illness, etc.)
- Academic/Life/Work Balance
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! Every Tuesday 12-1pm at Elm's.
Recent Events
Department of IDGH's Lunch/Volleyball/Pickleball Event
The Department of IDGH held a Lunch/Volleyball/Pickleball event on Tuesday, 10/29 from 12 - 1:30PM in the G Phelps Field. Everyone who attended had a great time connecting with both coworkers in their direct space and those they don't get to see often across different buildings. The faculty and staff enjoyed lunch together, as well as pickleball and volleyball. Jon even made his famous homemade cookies!
Reminders
Tufts University observes the following paid holidays throughout the year:
- Thursday, November 28th - 29th - Thanksgiving
- Tuesday, December 24th through Wednesday, January 1st - Holiday break
- Monday, January 20th - Martin Luther King Day
- Monday, February 17th - President’s Day
Wellness Corner
Recent Wellness Events
Thank you to all who attended and volunteered at the Cummings Rocks: Suicide Awareness & Prevention Event. The combination of people from across our campus, yummy sweets, and therapy animals, made this a wonderful success. It may seem small, but showing up truly helps to support those in our community that have been so profoundly impacted by suicide. Additionally, we have so many talented and dedicated students and employees who came together to paint rocks with stunning images and hopeful messages.
The painted rocks were distributed across campus, not only as a reminder of the kindness and care our campus has to offer, but also as a fun scavenger hunt. The rock hunt was very popular, and the Cummings Mental Health & Wellbeing Group is hoping to include more scavenger hunts in events going forward.
The Cummings Mental Health & Wellbeing Group also held its' Stress Less: Sparkle More! A Colorful Path to Calm event on November 6th outside in front of Elm's Café. Activities included creating a calming, shakable glitter jar, coloring mandalas, receiving post-election support, spending time with Paws for People therapy animals, and taking advantage of other de-stress resources.
Resources for Faculty & Staff
KGA, your Employee Assistance Program provides emotional and practical support for everyday challenges. It is a confidential benefit provided by your employer available 24/7 to you and your adult household members.
Services include 6 Free Counseling Sessions per issue in your healthcare network or with a KGA Counselor with support for:
- Stress
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Substance Abuse
- Relationships
- Work
KGA also offers consultations on financial, legal, career, parenting and nutrition issues (30 minutes) as well as targeted research and referrals for convenience services and dependent care. Visit KGA MyLifeServices to see a full list of services provided by KGA.
For support, contact KGA:
- Call: (800) 648-9557
- Text: (508) 231-5374
- Email: info@kgreer.com
Use company code: tuftsu
We Need to Talk About Mental Illness
While many physical illnesses and disabilities are unstigmatized and provided necessary accommodations, mental illnesses do not often receive the same treatment. Our culture tends to view mental illness as a personal issue or an embarrassing secret rather than a disorder in need of medical intervention. Stigma creates a deep sense of shame in those struggling, creating a hostile, discouraging environment. This is especially present for those with severe mental illness, such as bipolar depression or schizophrenia. Sharing symptoms and seeking help are needed in order to improve quality of life, but this is a very difficult task when you fear discrimination and hostility.
A great way to make progress in challenging harmful ideas is through open dialogue and education. By discussing mental health in schools and workplaces, we normalize seeking support and reduce the fear surrounding them. Education helps debunk myths, such as the notion that mental illness is optional or that mentally ill people are abusive and violent. Furthermore, media portrayal of mental health issues plays a critical role in shaping public perception. Positive, accurate and complex representations foster empathy and understanding, breaking down harmful stereotypes.
Societal efforts, including government policies and healthcare initiatives are essential in creating accessible resources and safe spaces for people to seek help. Ultimately, by fostering an environment of empathy and acceptance, we can move toward a future where mental illness is met with understanding, and seeking help is encouraged. Through collective efforts, we can change the culture to not only better accommodate all suffering from mental illness, but also create a healthier and happier society.
Submissions
Gelito's Farewell Lunch
Gelito Sikat recently completed his training at IDGH under the supervision of Saul and Denise Dayao. During this time, he focused on studying cryptosporidiosis and Clostridium difficile using animal models. Not only has Gelito gained valuable knowledge about our research, but he has also made lasting friendships along the way.
Gelito’s last day at The Cummings School was 9/30.
The Runstadler Lab's Halloween Costumes
The Runstadler Lab dressed as High Path Avian Influenza hosts for Halloween! We have 2 black bears , a raccoon, a cow, a gull, a snowy owl, a seal, and a human.
Michaela's Cow Illustration
Anyone that knows Michaela knows she loves cows! The Cummings School has so many on campus to be appreciated - from Annabelle to the herd of dairy cows. Michaela drew this cow in her illustrative style to be submitted in the IDGH Art Gallery.