Note from our Director

Dear One Health friends, colleagues and students,

Welcome to spring! It is wonderful to see the days become warmer and the people, animals and plants begin to emerge from the winter.

We know the last few months have been very challenging and we are keeping you all in our thoughts. Together, we are stronger, and our strength lies in our shared community and commitment to each other.

In this newsletter, we are sharing some highlights from our work this winter as well as upcoming opportunities.

First, I am so pleased to introduce Kelli Davison, Jonathan Bertram and Marissa Gay, the newest members of our One Health Institute team! Also, a huge kudos to Dr. Lorann Stallones and Claire Tucker for their recent achievements.

Congratulations to the 2025 awardees of the Student One Health and Faculty pilot awards. We are excited to announce the five recipients of this year’s One Health Student Awards. Thank you to last year’s student awardees Toby Koch, Sabrina Gobran, Kalani Williams, and Michelle Savran for their review of the 2025 submissions. We also selected three new faculty pilot projects for 2025, focusing on addressing ecosystem health challenges through the One Health approach.

Looking ahead, I hope you will join us for the 50th Annual One Health and Zoonoses Conference at CSU Spur on April 10. This is the first time we will be back in person since the COVID-19 pandemic, and this is a big one as we will be celebrating 50 years of the Colorado One Health and Zoonoses Conference! We also hope to see you at our Spring Affiliate luncheon on April 22^nd.

Keep doing the things you love.

Best,

Tracey Goldstein, Ph.D.

Dr. G. William and Linda Orr Endowed Director for One Health

One Health Institute

Colorado State University

One Health Updates

In 2025 the One Health Institute will fund three faculty pilot projects that implement the One Health approach to address an ecosystem health challenge.

Impacts of Land Management Practices Related to Wildfire Risk Reduction on Lyme Disease Risk in the Mountain West

PI: Elizabeth Hemming-Schroeder, Ph.D., Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, CSU

Co-Investigators:

Lisa Aubrey, Ph.D. Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Warner College of Natural Resources, CSU

Nicole Kelp, Ph.D. Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, CSU

Brooke Berger, Ph.D. Biology, College of Natural Sciences, CSU

Addressing the Health of Lake Yojoa and Developing Interoperable Social-Environmental Data

PI: Ed Hall, Ph.D. Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Warner College of Natural Resources, CSU

Co-Investigators:

Andrea Baudoin-Farah, Ph.D. Ecosystem Science and Sustainability, Warner College of Natural Resources, CSU

Caitlin Mothes, Ph.D. Geospacial Centroid, CSU

A One Health Approach to Studying Microbes in Soil from Biocrust Communities to understand their role in Ecosystem Health

PI: Gilbert John, Ph.D. Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, CSU

Co-Investigator:

Caroline Havrilla, Ph.D. Forest and Rangeland Stewardship, Warner College of Natural Resources, CSU

Investigating Small RNA Molecules in a Bat Cell Model in Response to Mosquito-Borne and No-known-vector Flaviviruses

Student Investigator:

Lauren Malsick, Ph.D. Student, Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, CSU

Advisor:

Brian Geiss, Ph.D. Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, CSU

Decoding Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Zebrafish Model Integrating Genetic Susceptibility and Environmental Triggers

Student Investigator:

Mia Ambuski, Ph.D. Student, Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, CSU

Advisor:

Romana Jarošová, Ph.D., Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, CSU

A One Health Approach to Understanding Youth Response

Student Investigator:

Osebe Kebaya, Ph.D. Student, School of Social Work, College of Health and Human Sciences, CSU

Advisor:

Tiffany Jones, Ph.D., School of Social Work, College of Health and Human Sciences, CSU

Analysis of Coccidioides and Valley Fever in Arizona: A Habitat Suitability Analysis

Student Investigator:

Peter Kessinger, Ph.D. Student and BROADN Graduate Student, Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, CSU

Advisor:

Sheryl Magzamen Ph.D., Epidemiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, CSU

Fostering Conservation through One Health: Science Communication to Measure Scientific Understanding in Rural Mexico

Student Investigator:

Crystal Mateo Mendez, DVM Student, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, CSU

Advisor:

Olivia Arnold, Ph.D., Epidemiology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, CSU

Dr. Lorann Stallones, Human-Animal Interactions Research Coordinator for the One Health Institute and Professor of Psychology at CSU, was recently interviewed by Animals about her recent publication, "Sustainability and the Thoroughbred Breeding and Racing Industries: An Enhanced One Welfare Perspective." The paper was published in Animals in 2023 and has received significant interest from readers. 

Congratulations to Dr. Stallones for her work to develop an Enhanced One Welfare Framework to revisit how horses are used for sport and to encourage improvements in practices across the sector.

The CSU 4-H Veterinary Science Camp has been recognized as a leading program in educating youth on veterinary science, public health, and environmental health. This program that provides immersive, hands-on experiences for youth, was nominated for a workforce development award with the opportunity to compete for additional funding to expand its program.

The CSU 4-H Veterinary Science Camp has been held at the CSU Spur Campus, CSU Main Campus, and Foothills Research Campus, and introduces students to real-world career pathways in veterinary science and related fields. Participants engage in laboratory simulations, veterinary procedures, and case studies while connecting with university faculty and industry professionals.

The nomination highlights CSU’s efforts to help address workforce shortages by inspiring and equipping young people with the skills to pursue careers in veterinary science and clinical care. 

For more information about the CSU 4-H Veterinary Science Camp and its impact, please contact One Health/One Medicine Fellow, Claire Tucker.

One Health Education

Reminder: Graduate Certificate in One Health Available

Reminder to students interested in furthering their One Health education! The Graduate Certificate in One Health, offered through the Graduate Program in Public Health at Colorado State University, was launched in Fall 2025 and will open to students again in 2026.

This Graduate certificate provides students from all colleges and programs with interdisciplinary training to expand their One health knowledge, preparing them to become leaders in the One Health field. 

The Graduate Certificate in One Health increases the competence and ability of graduate and professional students as they work in interdisciplinary teams to solve complex problems at the intersection of human, animal, and environmental health. 

One Health Events

Doors open 8:00 a.m.

Sessions Begin 9:00 a.m.

Cocktail Reception 4:30 p.m.

We are excited to welcome you to the 50th Annual One Health and Zoonoses Conference on Thursday, April 10th, 2025! 

This year, we are hosting the conference with in-person attendance at the Colorado State University SPUR Campus at 4777 National Western Dr, Denver, CO 80216. Virtual attendance will be on Zoom. Light refreshments and lunch will be provided, and a cocktail reception will follow the program. 

The registration fee is $55 for all attendees. Please register by April 2, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. 5.5 continuing education credits are available for attending the conference for veterinary and public health professionals. A certificate of attendance will be provided to all participants. 

This program has been approved by the Registry of Approved Continuing Education (RACE) and the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA). 

We hope to see you there to commemorate 50 years of the Colorado One Health & Zoonoses Conference.

Spring Affiliate Luncheon

Please join us for our upcoming Spring Affiliate Luncheon! 

When: Tuesday, April 22, 2025 | 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Where: Lory Student Center | 302 Long's Peak Room

The program will include presentations from some of our 2024 One Health Student and Faculty Pilot grant Awardees. We hope to see you there! 

Join the CSU One Health Student Club

The One Health Student Club at Colorado State University has been hard at work this semester to expand membership for students across colleges and departments and hosting several student engagement opportunities.

Please meet our newly elected Club Executive Board!

Lance Sommer, President

MPH/DVM 2025/2027

Maddy Evans, Vice President

MPH/DVM 2028

Gray Knowles, Treasurer

MPH/DVM 2028

Nell Crosby

CU at CSU Medical School Liason

Marisa Werner

MS, Animal Sciences

The One Health Student Club is actively expanding to include students from all eight colleges at Colorado State University. The Club explores issues facing animals, people, and the planet. Students please consider joining the One Health Student Club!

One Health Institute Team Updates

Kelli Davison is the new Administrative Coordinator for the One Health Institute and joined the team in February of 2025. Kelli comes to the OHI from the College of Engineering where she served as the Dean's Office Manager and Assistant to the Associate Deans. Kelli is currently pursuing a Master of Public Policy and Administration with a specialization in Public Management at CSU. Kelli has a passion for enhancing resources in schools and in the community.

Marissa Gay works on the data management team for the NSF funded BROADN Project. Marissa graduated from CSU in Spring 2024 with a bachelor’s in biology with a minor in statistics. Marissa has experience in  animal care and also works as an undergraduate researcher in Dean VandeWoude’s lab.

Marissa has a passion for human and animal healthcare and enjoys exploring the overlap between these fields.

Jonathan Bertram serves as the Data Management Research Associate for the NSF funded BROADN Project, managing data collection and management for the project. He holds a Master's degree in Ecology and a certificate in regression modeling from Colorado State University. 

Jonathan's professional interests include ecological modeling, the study of invasive species, and the interplay between environmental factors and human activities.

University Day of Giving

Don’t forget the Colorado State University Day of Giving on May 1^st 2025. This year, a focus will be the One Health Institute and the Student One Health Awards to support student research at the intersection of human, animal, plant, and environmental health.

One Health Institute | onehealth.colostate.edu