We share our city with many different species of urban wildlife, from pigeons to rats, mice to trash pandas.
What are they hiding?
Could they be carrying the virus that causes the next global pandemic?
Join us for talks from two virus hunters trying to keep us safe by understanding what lurks in the birds and rodents we see every day.
February 27, 2024
7:30 - 9:30 PM (Doors @ 7PM)
Ryan’s Daugher (350 E 85th St, UES)
Meet our speakers:
Simon Williams, Senior Research Scientist NYU Langone
Talk Title: Discovering pathogens in NYC house mice
Simon started his career in a clinical molecular diagnostics lab in Perth, Western Australia. After moving to Columbia University to focus on virus discovery and surveillance under renowned virus hunter, Prof. Ian Lipkin, Simon assisted projects on bats, ticks, and NYC rats. Soon, he led his own study looking at the microbial carriage of NYC house mice; a large project that formed the basis of his PhD, which also included his studies on the viromic carriage of mosquitos. Simon built an FDA-approved diagnostic PCR assay for COVID before moving to direct the R&D team at NYC’s Pandemic Response Lab. Simon recently joined the xenotransplant team at NYU to investigate infectious disease dynamics and build diagnostics.
In NYC, the common house mouse is relegated to second place for rodent awareness, far behind the dreaded rat. But mice are better situated to impact your health by sharing your home, or your local bakery. Despite their global presence and widespread use in scientific research, little is known about the microbes they carry. In this talk, I will cover the challenges of collecting mice in NYC, the technology for discovering microbes, and what this all means for the next time you trap a mouse at home!
Philip Meade, Postdoctoral Researcher at Mount Sinai and Primary Mentor Principal for New York City Virus Hunters
Talk title: Roses are Red, and Birds Have the Flu
Philip is a postdoctoral researcher in the Krammer lab at Mount Sinai. Philip is trained as a virologist, and studies the antibody response to infection and vaccination with influenza virus, focusing on protection against types of influenza that don't circulate in humans - yet.
Did you know that the flu is really an avian virus that humans also sometimes get?
Philip is the primary mentor for the New York City Virus Hunters program, in which high school students searching for avian influenza viruses. Their findings are vital to prepare for and prevent a possible future pandemic, and to identify viruses that may be harmful to humans and birds. Under careful mentorship, they learn laboratory and science communication skills, and help keep an eye on the avian influenza viruses in our backyard.