Dr. Stephanie Richards agreed to serve as the representative of the Southeastern Center of Excellence in Vector-Borne Disease (CoE-VBD) to the new Vector-Borne Disease Network (VBDN), which was formed in May 2019. The Southeastern CoE-VBD recently joined the network as one of the founding members and is a CDC-funded Center at the University of Florida. The purpose of the Vector-Borne Disease Network is to advocate for vector borne disease research and management funding, connect the community of vector professionals, and reduce suffering from arthropod disease vectors. Activities center on advising and supporting policymakers for strong, dedicated funding at the federal level for the following:

1.      research on tick and mosquito biology, ecology, and disease risk
2.      enhanced vector  detection and disease diagnosis
3.      innovation in disease-prevention and vector-control methods
4.      building the nation’s workforce capacity in vector-borne disease research and management

As a representative of this network, Dr. Richards will be giving input on science and policy to guide letters to sponsors, policymakers and other stakeholders, and passing these letters on to other interested partners.

Read more about the VBDN: Vector-Borne Disease Network; New Coalition to Bolster Fight Against Ticks, Mosquitoes