Dr. Woutrina Smith leads the multi-campus UCGHI Planetary Health Center of Expertise and has been part of the UCD School of Veterinary Medicine’s One Health Institute since its inception. Dr. Smith has One Health research projects in Africa and Asia, as well as in California, where multidisciplinary teams work together to solve complex population and planetary health problems in innovative ways. She teaches the GDB major requirement PMI 129Y: One Health Fundamentals.
Happy Spring, everyone! My name is Jennifer Loza (she/her) and I graduated in the Class of 2020 with a degree in Global Disease Biology and a minor in Political Science. As a transfer student, I knew I wanted to make the most out of my limited time at UC Davis. Being a GDB major granted me the freedom to explore my interests in both public health and the sciences. I participated in the UCDC Program where I had the opportunity to intern in the House of Representatives with Congressman Eric Swalwell.
My name is Maya Deshmukh (she/her), and I am a fourth year Global Disease Biology student planning to graduate this upcoming June. As I look back on my undergraduate experience, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities I have received at UC Davis. I have not only been able to grow as a student, but through the GDB major, I have been able to explore the many nuances within One Health in my coursework and find what I am passionate about. Being a GDB student has allowed me to find my way to public health and pursue research which has opened doors that I never thought possible.
Hi, everyone! My name is Roshni Desai (she/her) and I graduated in the Class of 2021! I joined the GDB major at the end of my sophomore year and it was one of the best decisions I made during my time at Davis. The close-knit community of students and advisors truly helped me explore my various interests and step outside of my comfort zone. Being introduced to the One Health approach also had a huge impact on me, and is the reason why I wanted to work in global public health and continue promoting interdisciplinary collaboration.
My name is Jesus Bastian and I am a first-generation transfer student, currently completing my senior year at UC Davis and will be graduating as a Global Disease Biology major and Chicano Studies minor. I currently serve as Vice President of the Teens for Screens student organization which aims to educate high school students in disadvantaged areas on breast cancer. I am also on the leadership team for the American Cancer Society Club which promotes advocacy, cancer education, and survivorship as well as an annual Relay for Life fundraiser on campus.
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!
Alisa Chernikova completed her practicum project on the "Analysis of Morphological and Anatomical Changes In Pistachio Cultivars And Their Relation To Pericarp Dehiscence." Learn about Alisa's research experience in the GDB Office's February Practicum Pod!
Dr Ioannis Stergiopoulos is a professor in the Department of Plant Pathology at UC Davis who studies microbial virulence and multidrug resistance mechanisms in fungal plant pathogens. In his studies, Dr. Stergiopoulos is using a systems biology-based approach that integrates comparative and functional genomics, with molecular evolutionary analyses, and practical field work. As a UCD Professor, he teaches one of the Pathogen/Disease courses in the GDB major, PLP 130 – Fungal Biology and Disease and the graduate-level course PLP 224: Advanced Mycology (PLP 224).
My name is Ryan Farkhondeh, and I am honored to have received this recognition. As a third year GDB major, I am continually surprised and joyous over the support and appreciation for their students. To let you know a little bit about myself before I get into my journey in the major and thereafter, I love carrots with all my heart, a close second is soccer, and if you want to find me I will most likely be at the ARC either studying or working out.
I found learning about policy to be the most important takeaway for me from the GDB program. One key implication of this is that the world’s scientists and researchers and healthcare providers working on new ways to preserve health depend on a whole other sector of bureaucracy, government, and rulemakers to ensure that their discoveries become a reality.
Hello! My name is Elizabeth Roth and I am a fifth year transfer GDB student! I have always been interested in disease and how outside aspects contribute to the spread of the disease. The GDB program has allowed me to focus my studies on an aspect of disease that I am truly passionate about. Throughout my time at Davis, I have been able to study Entomology through restricted electives as I am interested in vector borne diseases such as Zika, Dengue, and Malaria. It amazes me how something as small as an insect can have such a drastic impact on the human population.
Maya Deshmukh (she/her) is a fourth-year GDB student completing her GDB Practicum Project on "The Impact of Insurance on the Risk of Dementia After Traumatic Brain Injury." Learn about Maya's research experience in GDB Advising's January 2023 Practicum Pod!
Hi, all! My name is Hana (she/her) and I'm a proud alumna of GDB! I graduated in spring of 2020 and then took a gap year working as an Assistant Clinical Research Coordinator at the UC Davis Health Division of Infectious Diseases. Currently, I'm in my second year of an MD/PhD at Johns Hopkins University. In the future, I'm hoping to specialize in rheumatology or infectious disease! The GDB major definitely had a huge impact on my career trajectory, especially the practicum project, which helped solidify my decision to go the MD/PhD route.
My name is Robert Chin and I am currently in my fourth year majoring in Global Disease Biology. I am nearing the end of my term as president for the only pre-medical professional fraternity here on campus, Phi Delta Epsilon. I am also a clinic intern for Bayanihan Clinic, one of UC Davis’ seven student run clinics. Bayanihan Clinic’s primary goal is to provide preventative and primary health care services to Filipino War Veterans and other underserved communities within Sacramento.
You'll hear from our amazing peer advisor Michelle (she/her) in this special episode of our Practicum Pods! She will share some valuable insight on how to get into research, plant biology research that she worked on, and what transferable skills are gained through research experiences as a GDB undergrad.
Hi! My name is Lisa Repetto and I am a fourth-year transfer student majoring in Global Disease Biology. Throughout my years in school, I always knew I loved science but had a difficult time choosing a major at UC Davis until I learned about GDB. I was excited to see so many options for electives that explored topics like plant pathology, environmental toxicology, microbiology, and more. The wide variety of classes helped me discover my interest in plant pathogens and how sick or injured plants can also have profound impacts on humans, animals, and the environment.
