Abbey Porzucek, M.S.
PhD student | Yale School of Public Health | Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases
Laboratory of Epidemiology of Public Health (LEPH) | 60 College St. | New Haven, CT 06510
Email: [email protected]
M.S. in Public Health Microbiology and Emerging Infectious Disease – George Washington University
B.S in Environmental Science – St. Joseph’s University
After completing my undergraduate studies, I started working as an environmental health specialist for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where I developed a love for field work and an interest in the ways microbiology affects health. This led me to start a Master’s degree in Public Health Microbiology and Emerging Infectious Disease at George Washington University (GWU) and during this time I became involved in research focusing on arboviruses and viral hemorrhagic fevers. After completing my M.S., I was brought on as a full-time member of the research team at GWU. Much of my research was conducted under BSL-3 conditions and included development of assays for SARS-CoV-2 and development of a mouse model to study post-acute arthritis from chikungunya virus. In addition to bench work, I was part of a team that collaborated with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the Democratic Republic of Congo to increase laboratory capacity in Ebola-endemic areas of the country. My current research interests center on diagnostic development for arthropod and zoonotic diseases and understanding how diagnostic tools can be used in the field to better quantify, track, and mitigate the public health impact of these diseases. Outside of the lab you can find me trying new restaurants, at the gym, or sewing my own clothes.
