Washington University in St Louis · Social ScienceWildlife Disease Dynamics Lab
Krista Milich · Saint Louis, Missouri
Research Focus
Dr. Krista Milich's lab focuses on understanding how diseases spill over from wildlife to humans, particularly looking at viral transmission dynamics in red colobus monkeys in Uganda. By studying the interactions between these monkeys and local human populations, her team gathers important ecological data to predict and model disease spread. This research aims to improve public health outcomes and advance conservation efforts while providing educational opportunities for students both in the U.S. and Uganda.
viral transmissionzoonotic diseasesphylogenetic modelingpublic healthwildlife conservation
Research Aims
5AIM 01Quantify transmission dynamics of viruses between red colobus monkeys and humans.
AIM 02Analyze the gut virome of red colobus monkeys for viral diversity.
AIM 03Develop phylodynamic models to simulate disease spread.
AIM 04Collaborate with local communities to identify zoonotic disease risks.
AIM 05Test and implement strategies to mitigate disease transmission pathways.
Skills the Lab Values
genetic sequencinganimal behavior observationepidemiological modelingdata collection techniquesBayesian statistics
Output against the department
Publications35bottom 10% of dept.69th of 77
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations264bottom 9% of dept.70th of 77
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.