Hello! I am Alisa Chernikova, a third year here at UC Davis. If you think back to your very first year at Davis, you may remember the large pamphlet you were given with all of the various majors offered at this school. Since I had my mind set on studying diseases, I knew immediately that GDB was the right fit for me. However I never expected how much I would fall in love with this major. Global Disease Biology opened up a whole new world of knowledge for me as I began to understand and appreciate how the different aspects of global health; human, animal, plant and environmental are deeply interconnected. Focusing on this larger picture of world health made me more open and receptive to new and unique approaches towards solving disease crises. 

Before I continue, I would like to thank all of the plant pathology faculty who have taught my classes or simply interacted with me because thanks to them I discovered my passion for plant health, an aspect of global health that is often forgotten! After all, our dependence on plants has not ceased and if no work is done to research and protect these organisms, the fabric of our society will unravel. With this newfound passion I have begun work in Dr. Drakakaki’s lab studying pistachios and in the future I hope to continue in research unlocking more mysteries in the fascinating world of plants.