About us
We study how human changes to the landscape and the climate drive the emergence and spread of vector-borne diseases, at the interface between the disciplines of ecology, evolution and epidemiology.
Our main focus are tick-borne diseases in the United States, including Lyme disease and human babesiosis. We also study mosquito-borne diseases, including West Nile virus, Dengue, Chikungunya and Zika, in the US and internationally.
Undergraduate, Graduate and Experienced Researchers!
Summer Research Assistant applications for the 2025 Field Season are now open!
As a part of this CDC-led initiative, we are working closely with partners across academic and public health institutions towards more uniform approaches and sustainable solutions for vector-borne disease monitoring, prediction, and control in the Northeast.
News
Gathering New Insights on Tick and Human Interactions in New York
Marie Lilly, Ph.D. candidate in the Eco-epidemiology Lab, is doing new research on where ticks are present in New York parks, and how people understand their exposure risk.
https://news.columbia.edu/news/gathering-new-insights-tick-and-human-interactions-new-york
Working to understand risk factors, researchers are studying ticks in Staten Island parks
Over the last several years, researchers from Columbia University have studied the tick population on Staten Island — and that work continues this summer, as they collect the insects and survey residents for research that could benefit a seasonal vaccine to prevent Lyme disease.
Click here to read more from the SI Advance article on our work on Staten Island.
Researchers Head to New York City Parks to Gather Data on Tick Exposure
Columbia researchers are conducting a major survey to measure urban tick presence and how humans respond to them.
https://news.columbia.edu/news/researchers-head-new-york-city-parks-gather-data-tick-exposure