Hello everyone! My name is Megan Terry and I am a second-year Global Disease Biology major.
Growing up, I always had a deep interest and curiosity about the visible and invisible components about the world around me. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit my school during my freshman year of high school, my interest in science narrowed in on infectious disease. I wanted to understand the interworkings of infectious disease, the process of pandemics, and how we as a society can use this experience to improve our preparedness and response in the future.
Hi, my name is Camryn! I graduated from UC Davis in 2021 with my BS in Global Disease Biology. I originally entered college as a biomedical engineering major, but quickly realized that my interests were more aligned with biological and disease focuses. This was how I found GDB, and I was immediately drawn to the major’s emphasis on One Health and breadth of knowledge of disease processes from the cellular to global scale.
Hi, my name is Karishma Srinivas and I’m a fourth-year GDB student. Currently, I work in the Kliebenstein lab studying the interactions between the necrotrophic pathogen, Botrytis, and various plant species. Post graduation, I plan to take a gap year and work as an EMT before applying to medical school! The GDB major has allowed me to gain a deeper understanding of diseases and helped me feel more prepared for my career post-graduation! One of my favorite classes is GDB 101 which helped me realize my passion for epidemiology through the various disease simulations we created.
Hi, everyone! My name is Andra Soria (she/ her/ella) and I am your new Integrated Academic Advisor! I have been an Academic Advisor in the CA&ES Dean’s Office for almost a year now, and I am so excited to now expand my role and support the Global Disease Biology major as well!
In our Practicum Pods series, current GDB students are interviewed by GDB Peer Advisors in a conversation that delves into their practicum projects! We highly encourage all of our students to tune in to Practicum Pods to learn about different types of research, mentorship, and project specifics!
Sophia Baltasar completed their GDB Practicum Project on Fetal CSF Clotting. Learn about Sophia's research experience in the GDB Office's May Practicum Pod!
Hi, I'm Colette, a proud Class of 2020 Aggie with a BA in English and a BS in Global Disease Biology. I began at UC Davis in 2016 as a Biological Sciences major, but quickly realized that I was primarily interested in the systemic forces that impact health and the potential for large-scale disease prevention. I changed my major to GDB and loved that the major exposed me to so many aspects of health sciences.
Hi, my name is Karthik Midde, and I am a 3rd year Global Disease Biology major. I transferred into the major in my second year as I was attracted to the focus on studying health in a global context. I've truly come to appreciate the amount of flexibility we have within the major to tailor to our interests, from the restricted electives to the practicum project.
In our Practicum Pods series, current GDB students are interviewed by GDB Peer Advisors in a conversation that delves into their practicum projects! We highly encourage all of our students to tune in to Practicum Pods to learn about different types of research, mentorship, and project specifics!
Audrey Spindler is currently working on her GDB Practicum Project on "Characterization of Kalmusia Fungal Plant Pathogen Species Emergent in California.” Learn about Audrey's research experience in the GDB Office's April Practicum Pod!
Dr. Karen Shaprio is an associate professor with the Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology in the UC Davis school of Veterinary Medicine. Her research interests include transport and fate of zoonotic pathogens in watershed and coastal ecosystems.
Hello :) I am a newly licensed and certified genetic counselor working in the cardiovascular department at Stanford. I graduated from the GDB major in the spring of 2020 and from UC Irvine’s genetic counseling program in the fall of 2022. While at UC Davis, I was initially a pharmaceutical chemistry major until I took GDB 90 and was immediately captivated by rare, infectious, and inherited diseases. I spent the next few years in Global Disease Biology pursuing classes with a genetic emphasis, which undoubtedly helped me with those critical experimental years of professional self-discovery.
Hi, my name is Muiez Bashir. I am a fourth-year Global Disease Biology Major. I chose this major after learning about it in my second year when I heard that it had a practicum project. What I like about the major is the emphasis on the one health concept and the direct application of the skills and education that GDB students learn, allowing them to engage in on-campus research and apply their learning in practical settings in the form of their practicum. After graduating, I plan on applying to medical school and becoming a physician one day.
In our Practicum Pods series, current GDB students are interviewed by GDB Peer Advisors in a conversation that delves into their practicum projects! We highly encourage all of our students to tune in to Practicum Pods to learn about different types of research, mentorship, and project specifics!
Hi, my name is Nikhita and I am a fourth-year Global Disease Biology major. My academic journey within the GDB major has been an enriching exploration of the field of public health, providing me with a strong foundation in understanding health disparities and their broader implications. Delving into rigorous coursework and collaborative research projects has honed my analytical skills and instilled in me a deep-seated curiosity about the connection between biological and developmental factors.
Hello everyone! I’m Austin Tarumoto (they/them). I graduated with a Global Disease Biology major and a Community Development minor in Spring of 2020. I was first interested in the major because of how interdisciplinary it was and how it allowed me to explore my interest in the intersection of advocacy, social justice, and public health. While at Davis, I was a tutor, a peer educator at the Cross Cultural Center, and the Identity Development Coordinator with BRIDGE: Pilipinx Outreach and Retention at the Student Recruitment and Retention Center.
In our Practicum Pods series, current GDB students are interviewed by GDB Peer Advisors in a conversation that delves into their practicum projects! We highly encourage all of our students to tune in to Practicum Pods to learn about different types of research, mentorship, and project specifics!
Kazim Rizvi is a 4th year GDB student currently conducting their practicum project on "Circadian Rhythms of Drosophila melanogaster" Learn about Kazim's research experience in the GDB Office's February Practicum Pod!
