Since the era of waterborne jaundice and polio, environmental virology has attempted to understand disease risk through the monitoring of viruses in wastewater, and fresh and marine waters. More recently, the advent of molecular tools coupled with metagenomics has offered the opportunity to identify human viral pathogens including the global spread of diseases such COVID-19. We now have the ability to monitor community health via the surveillance of our wastewater, helping to meet global grand challenges in public health including the implementation of world-wide vaccination programs.
Joan B. Rose is the recipient of the 2016 Stockholm Water Prize. She is Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics and Homer Nowlin Chair in Water Research, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at Michigan State University.
Hosted by: Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and the Environment
In conjunction with: Center for Business and Public Policy, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Department of Crop Sciences, Department of Geography, Department of Geology, Department of Plant Biology, Department of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Government and Public Affairs, School of Earth, Society, and Environment, School of Integrative Biology