Epidemiology, Emerging infectious diseases, One Health, Veterinary public health, antimicrobial resistance.

Research agenda:Creating a healthy future for humans, animals, and the environment in China                                                                                                                            My primary research interests are in emerging infectious diseases (EID), particularly zoonotic diseases that occur at the human and animal interface with the following potential research emphases and intentions: 1) to use innovative sampling methods to study the epidemiology, ecology, and risk factors associated with EIDs and identifying risk factors for occupational diseases, particularly for respiratory virus infections: 2) to establish laboratory animal models for research, student training, and capacity building; 3) to develop necropsy and in-vivo experimental infection models to mimic natural/field infections to study the disease patterns and pathogenesis of EIDs; and 4) to advance diagnostic approaches for the surveillance of viral respiratory pathogens in healthcare settings, livestock farms, schools, airports, and subways to detect zoonotic and reverse zoonotic events. These research areas can not only lead to high-quality research outputs but can also serve as important training topics for undergraduate students at Duke Kunshan University. I am specifically working on the epidemiology, virology, and molecular characterization of viruses that are transmitted among humans and animals, including influenza A/B/C/D viruses, coronavirus, enterovirus, and adenovirus. I am also overseeing projects in the DKU One Health Research laboratory focused on the isolation of antimicrobial-resistant genes in environmental samples, the isolation of influenza A viruses from pig samples, and the development of new assays to detect antibodies against swine viruses in people. I am also working closely with Guangzhou Hospital of Traditional Medicine Guangdong, Kunshan No. 1 People’s Hospital, and veterinary clinics in Kunshan to assess the epidemiology and virus evolution in humans and animals.