Global Disease Biology

Welcome Message from the Department Chair:

Welcome to Global Disease Biology at UC Davis. The Global Disease Biology major (and minor) is a collaborative program involving the Department of Plant Pathology in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the School of Veterinary Medicine, and the School of Medicine. This unique undergraduate program reflects UC Davis’s leadership in the One Health approach, which recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, plant, and environmental health.

The Global Disease Biology major is designed to bridge gaps between traditionally separate fields of human health, veterinary medicine, plant pathology, and environmental science, through an integrated approach to disease. Students develop an understanding of disease concepts, the societal and personal impacts of past, present and emerging diseases, as well as the science behind disease discoveries, causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

A central component of the major is the practicum, which provides hands-on opportunities in research, clinical, laboratory, or field settings. This experience allows students to apply classroom knowledge, develop practical skills, and engage directly with real-world disease challenges.

GDB graduates are prepared for a wide range of careers, including physician, physician assistant, or registered nurse; veterinarian; plant pathologist; infectious disease specialist; epidemiologist; public health analyst or policy leader; medical science liaison; wildlife health and conservation advocate; food safety consultant; and science writer or communicator.

Johan Leveau, PhD

Plant Pathology Department Chair

New Student Checklist

Welcome to the GDB program, Incoming Student! We are so excited to have you. Please check out the incoming student checklist for information on orientation modules, your initial advising meeting, and some other important action items. Welcome to UC Davis!

The GDB Program

The GDB program offers a unique and robust curriculum with 3 main learning outcomes and competency sets: Global Disease Issues (challenges to global health, economic impacts, social pressures of disease, etc.), Disease Knowledge (etiology, evolution, ecology and epidemiology of diseases), and Scientific Research and Methods (to understand and apply the principles of the scientific method as they pertain to health and disease).

A degree in Global Disease Biology prepares graduates with the knowledge, skills and experiences required to excel and lead in an array of professions, such as: healthcare, medicine, public health, health policy, food safety, and conservation, as each relates to disease and health of people, animals, plants and the environment globally.

The Global Disease Biology Program at UC Davis uses the One Health Model as a guiding principle to prepare students to become broadly trained professionals with creative and critical thinking skills necessary to solve global problems.

Major in Global Disease Biology

GDB uses an integrated, One Health approach to promote understanding of the concepts of disease, societal and personal impacts of past and future diseases, and science behind disease discoveries, causes, evolution, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.

Learn more about the GDB major!

The GDB Minor at UC Davis

If you plan to declare the GDB minor, you must meet with our office to set up an academic plan before your last year at UC Davis. If it is your last year at UC Davis, and you have not yet met with a GDB advisor, you may not be able to complete the GDB minor within your graduation timeline.

Review GDB Minor Requirements

Meet with GDB Advising

What Does GDB Mean to You?

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Contact Us

Location: 150 Hutchison Hall
Hours: Monday – Friday, 9 AM – 4 PM
Email: [email protected]

GDB Student Testimonials

GDB has opened my eyes to discover new opportunities in a career that I did not know existed. For example, I will be pursuing a Masters of Public Health, in Global Health. This is not something I knew was possible.

— Samantha Arteaga (GDB Student)

GDB allowed me to both explore my professional and academic interests during my time as an undergrad. I was also so thankful to find so many like minded individuals within my classes who were just as passionate as I regarding public health, healthcare, the one health model, and creating real change.

— Kyra Toomey (GDB Graduate, Class of 2022)

As a field of study and major, GDB gave the opportunity, flexibility and encouragement to explore so much in the classroom, but also outside through focusing on questions of planetary health, health inequity as existing within a matrix of historical violences, attention to ecological intimacies and the texturing of worlds between the human and non-human. As an Ethnic Studies Ph.D. student this is where I situate my current research, thinking about climate change and environmental justice in the Persian Gulf oil industry, and know that the major shaped this strong foundation for my thinking

— Radhika Marwaha (GDB Graduate, Class of 2021)

GDB provided me with such an incredibly well-rounded undergraduate education that has followed me throughout graduate school and has contributed to my own research interests, but also helped me understand other health and disease-related research unrelated to plant health. I also met some lifelong friends in my GDB courses and I really enjoy getting to watch what everyone is doing with their careers and how they all relate back in some way to what we learned in our GDB classes!