Corinne Conlon

I am a Masters student at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF) in the Fish and Wildlife Disease Lab under Dr. Christopher Whipps. My Masters research is on Echinococcus parasites in wild canid population in New York State. I am collaborating with Dr. Krysten Schuler from the Cornell Wildlife Health Lab on this project.

My interests center around controlling zoonotic parasites and pathogens that threaten the health of humans, wildlife, and domestic animal populations. Climate changes are directly affecting the re-emergence and spread of parasitic diseases in new regions, creating new public health emergencies that will affect the health, well-being, and stability of communities. I’m interested in the intersection between epidemiology within wildlife and human systems, and the different methods of control that can protect both populations from the consequences of parasitic diseases.

A great parasitology class and early experiences in necropsies and wildlife health in my undergraduate studies at SUNY-ESF motivated me to pursue research in wildlife disease. I've been completely hooked ever since. I enjoy investigating the complex systems that underlie any zoonotic pathogen and how host-pathogen interactions have evolved and continue to change under the anthropogenic pressures of globalization and climate change. My research with Echinococcus has also fueled my interest in pathogen genomics and phylogenetics.

May 2023