By John P. Roche, Ph.D.
The US has a severe shortage of medical entomologists who specialize in vector-borne diseases. The number of biological vectors has been declining for decades and, at the same time, the number of arthropod vectors and the number of vector-borne diseases are increasing in North America. The shortage of professionals in the field was highlighted when the West Nile virus spread Mosquito mosquitoes, became an emerging mosquito-borne disease in North America in 1999. It was further highlighted when the Zika virus spread from Aedes mosquitoes, broke out in Miami, Florida in 2015 and 2016.
To help address this shortage, in 2017 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) created five Regional Centers of Excellence in vector-borne diseases. The Centers of Excellence initiative aimed to create programs that could improve disease preparedness in three areas: applied research; communities of practice linking public, private and academic stakeholders; and training programs for medical entomologists and public health professionals. One of the five Centers of Excellence is the Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases (NEVBD) program at Cornell University, which addressed the third objective by establishing the Master of Science in Entomology: Vector-borne Disease Biology program. In one article published in August at Journal of Medical Entomologyprogram director Laura Harrington, Ph.D., and program manager Emily Mader discuss the rationale, design, and success of the vector-borne disease graduate program.
From 2017 to 2022, CDC invested over $51 million in the first five Centers of Excellence. In addition to the NEVBD program at Cornell, regional centers of excellence were established at the University of Florida. University of California, Davis; University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. and University of Wisconsin at Madison. CDC reports that these Centers of Excellence have trained over 5,000 vector control students and professionals, established regional centers for vector surveillance, and evaluated vector control strategies.
Students in the Master of Science in Entomology: Vector-Borne Disease Biology program at Cornell University collect mosquitoes in the Introduction to Disease Vectors Laboratory course. (Photo courtesy of the Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector-borne Diseases, Cornell University)
Joe Poggi, a 2022 Master of Science in Entomology: Vector-Borne Disease Biology graduate at Cornell University, sets a mosquito trap for Jamestown Canyon virus surveillance in New Hampshire. (Photo courtesy of Joe Poggi, Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector-borne Diseases, Cornell University)
NEVBD's MS program in vector-borne disease biology was created in Cornell's Department of Entomology. It's a two-year graduate program that, Harrington and Mader explain, seeks to “train the next generation of public health entomologists.” Students take 13 compulsory courses, plus electives and research units, for a total of 60 credits. They also complete a summer research experience leading to a two-chapter publishable thesis. Required courses are taught in the Cornell Department of Entomology and the Master of Public Health programs. The design of the MS program was informed by feedback collected from public health professionals throughout the northeastern US
“Our center is driven by the need to develop innovative education for current and future public health professionals, applied research on fundamental questions about tick- and mosquito-borne diseases, and supporting a community of practice that connects academia, public health and community audiences. says Harrington.
The program has five main focus areas:
- to instill an understanding of arthropod biology, behavior and taxonomy;
- teach knowledge of vector-borne pathogens of global and regional importance;
- consider vector-borne disease prevention and control strategies;
- to assess the impact of public health systems on the transmission of vector-borne diseases;
- to train students to be successful public health-career-biology professionals.
Students in the MS program provided self-assessments before and after during their studies and also took a comprehensive competency exam at the end of the program. “We found significant student improvement during the program,” says Mader. The greatest reported improvement in ability was seen after students worked on their summer research project. This highlights the power of participatory research experiences to help learners acquire technical skills.
The program is off to a great start, having trained 10 graduate students so far in three cohorts. The program at Cornell and similar ones at CDC's other Centers of Excellence are helping to fill the gap in need for medical entomology professionals. And, in doing so, they will strengthen society's ability to respond to emerging vector-borne disease threats. “The ultimate goal of our center's work is to improve the lives of those living in our communities by preventing exposure to ticks and mosquitoes and the diseases they carry,” says Harrington.
Harrington and Mader's Journal of Medical Entomology The document provides a detailed roadmap of the creation and execution of Cornell's MS in Entomology: Vector-Borne Disease Biology program. “We hope that the information contained in our paper as well as the curriculum materials and assessment tools we share will enable other institutions to develop their own highly effective public health entomology graduate education programs,” says Harrington.
John P. Roche, Ph.D., is a book author, biologist and science writer with a Ph.D. and postdoctoral training in the biological sciences and a dedication to making rigorous science clear and accessible. He writes books and articles and writes material for universities, scientific societies and publishers. Professional experience includes serving as a scientist and science writer at Indiana University, Boston College, and UMass Chan School of Medicine, and as a visiting professor at four top colleges and universities.
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