Pets, Asthma, and the Microbiome

Pet ownership has been linked to childhood asthma, yet the mechanisms and the role of the microbiome on asthma morbidity in current atopic children is unclear. This research tests the hypothesis that different aspects of pet exposure (animal characteristics, pet-child interactions, and pet microbes) will uniquely impact microbial communities of children and their homes, which will contribute to altered asthma morbidity. The goal is to develop innovative and feasible interventions to reduce morbidity from one of the most common chronic diseases in the United States.

Vector-Borne Disease in Midwestern Agricultural Workers

Farmers and agriculture workers are exposed to ticks and other vectors that spread Lyme disease and other infectious diseases. Our research seeks to understand occupational and environmental risk factors for vector exposure and vector-borne infectious diseases, as well as design intervention strategies to minimize risk in this worker population.

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Antimicrobial Resistance in Rural Communities

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health concern that contributes to patient morbidity and mortality and increases the cost of health care. This is particularly true for pathogens resistant to multiple classes of antimicrobials. Rural and remote areas tend to have higher rates of AMR infections. Our work characterizes the Resistome, the collection of resistant genes in a microbial community, and explores environmental and occupational factors that increase the prevalence of AMR genes in rural communities. 

Hospital Animal-Assisted Intervention Programs

Animal-assisted intervention (AAI) programs, commonly known as pet therapy, are common alternative therapies in hospital patient care with numerous benefits. We are currently exploring various public health aspects related to hospital AAI programs. This includes whether therapy animals could potentially serve as mechanical vectors of hospital pathogens, as well as if contact with therapy animals alters patients' microbiome. We also are using mixed method approaches to explore other benefits of AAI, such as for healthcare workers.  

Chemical-Microbiome Interactions

Exposure to adverse chemical pollutants, from metals, endocrine disruptors, air pollution, and more, is one of the most pressing environmental and public health challenges. The role of microorganisms, and our microbiome specifically, is a novel area that offers promise in ways to investigate and even counteract this public health problem. We are evaluating the relationship between environmental chemical exposure and the human microbiome within highly-exposed occupational cohorts, as well as in large nationally-representative cohorts. 

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