One Health Institute2026 Student One Health Awards
The One Health Institute at Colorado State University is pleased to announce the selection and funding of four CSU Student One Health research proposals for 2026. The One Health Institute funds both student projects annually in pursuit of a transdisciplinary approach to advance research that lies the intersection of animals, humans, and the environment.
These student awards will support student research projects toward their degree and provide students with experience writing, managing and reviewing grants. Students that were awarded funding in 2025 will review awards submitted next year.
Lead Exposure in Free-Ranging African White-backed Vultures (Gyps Africanus) of Northwest Zimbabwe
Vultures are iconic keystone species to African savannas, yet most species are threatened or
endangered. Vultures play a key role in reducing mammalian and zoonotic disease transmission
globally, highlighting their relevance to One Health. Regions with major vulture declines have
shown increased prevalence of rabies, cholera, and anthrax in humans and domestic animals as
well as increased total human mortality and human healthcare costs. This relationship is relevant
in sub-Saharan Africa as well, where rabies and anthrax are important zoonotic diseases.
Globally, the greatest threat to vultures is poisoning from pesticides and lead. However, in many
areas of sub-Saharan Africa, we know very little about the extent of lead exposure. On a local
scale, high vulture mortality has severely impacted my current research project in Zimbabwe:
47% of active nests that I monitored this year failed by the end of the breeding season, and areas
with the highest levels of nesting were greatly affected by poisoning. The total impact on
vultures in the region is yet to be quantified, but is likely to be severe, and resources to continue
testing this population are sorely needed. Thus, the primary objectives of this proposed project
are 1) to assess the threat of poisoning and elevated lead concentrations in African White-backed
Vultures (Gyps Africanus) in relation to land-use designations (hunting concessions, national
parks, and human-dominated zones), and 2) to examine the relationship between toxicity levels
and movement behaviors. This will be performed through continued sampling of vulture blood
and feathers, testing through lab standard protocols, and analyzing exposure levels in relation to
movement data and land utilization. By integrating physiological toxicology with spatial
ecology, this research aims to elucidate the impact of lead contamination on vulture health and
movement in the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA). The
findings will provide critical data on an important One Health issue to inform land management
practices and policy interventions required to mitigate anthropogenic mortality risks and
safeguard this declining species.
Researcher:
Jon Maxwell, DVM, PhD. Student
Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology
Warner College of Natural Resources
Colorado State University
Advisor:
Georgia Titcomb, PhD.
Warner College of Natural Resources
Colorado State University
Can’t take the heat: A C. elegans Model for Environmental Heat-induced Infertility
Infertility is a growing global health concern that is linked to environmental stress exposure, like temperature changes. Unlike female fertility, male fertility is particularly sensitive to heat stress especially during sperm development in multiple organisms from plants to humans. Rising global temperatures and more heat waves are reducing wildlife populations and compromising pollen (plant sperm) quality, which lowers overall crop yields. The long-term goal of my research is to define regulatory mechanisms underlying the environmental heat stress responses during egg and sperm development. Using the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans, my preliminary data showed that heat exposure causes incomplete genome instability in only developing sperm such that identical heat stress conditions produced sperm cells that fail to develop (heat-sensitive) while others remain functional (heat-resistant). Notably, egg development is fully resistant to heat stress. The objective of my proposal is to identify the sex-specific and cell-specific regulatory differences that render some cells to be sensitive or resistant to heat stress. I hypothesize that heat exposure induces distinct transcriptional states within the developing gametes, such that heat-sensitive nuclei engage regulatory programs associated with meiotic instability, while heat-resistant nuclei maintain protective mechanisms that preserve fertility. Further, sex comparisons between egg and sperm development will reveal the novel sex-specific changes that cause each sex to respond differently to heat stress. To determine the heat-induced transcriptomic changes occurring within resistant and sensitized germ cells, I will isolate, sort, and sequence the germ cell RNA in heat-exposed and unexposed worms. Computational analysis of this RNAseq data will allow me to define the differentially expressed genes and pathways in both the heat-resistance or heat-sensitized germ cells as well as between the sexes. These analyses will identify candidate regulatory genes that I can use genetic and cytological approaches to investigate their role(s) in the heat stresses responses of each sex. This study addresses a critical gap in understanding the molecular mechanisms by which environmental heat stress impacts fertility. Moreover, the data from this foundational study will enable future studies defining the impact of environmental stressors on reproductive vulnerability and resilience across taxonomic kingdoms from plants to fungi and animals.
Researcher:
Madeleine Coffman, PhD. Student
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
College of Natural Sciences
Colorado State University
Advisor:
Cori Cahoon, PhD.
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
College of Natural Sciences
Colorado State University
Elucidating the Neurodevelopmental Effects of Prenatal Exposure to Micro- and Nanoplastics
Placentas – lifeline or poison? Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs), ubiquitous byproducts of the modern world, are no longer just an environmental pollutant. Recent studies have now detected MNPs in the organ designed to nurture and protect – the placenta. As a result, embryos across all species are exposed to these toxic pollutants during critical windows of neurodevelopment. Despite the growing concern, the long-term neurological consequences of prenatal MNP exposure remain largely unknown. The objective of this proposal is to define the neurodevelopmental impacts of prenatal exposure to MNPs, and to identify behavioral and neurochemical signatures associated with early-life MNP-induced neurotoxicity. To address these aims, an embryonic zebrafish population will be exposed to biologically relevant concentrations of MNPs, and adverse behavioral effects will be monitored through a series of standardized assays into adulthood. Upon complete maturation, an ex vivo electrochemical analysis will be utilized to detect neuronal signaling associated with oxidative stress – a biological imbalance of reactive species, linked to cognitive deficits and neurological disorders. My working hypothesis is that the embryonic MNP exposure induces oxidative stress during critical milestones of neurodevelopment, leading to disruptions in neuronal communication, consequently predisposing individuals to long-term neurological afflictions. If successful, this study will reveal critical information regarding the molecular mechanisms driving oxidative stress, and the neurodevelopmental predispositions imposed on infants today. Results from this study will therefore serve as a platform for future research and therapeutic strategies.
Researcher:
Iman Deanparvar, PhD. Student
Chemistry
College of Natural Sciences
Colorado State University
Advisor:
Romana Jarošová, PhD.
Chemistry
College of Natural Sciences
Colorado State University
Mapping Pathogens with Environmental DNA: Implications for Human and Animal Health in Madagascar
In today’s complex public health landscapes, linking sources of pathogen exposure with land-use and human and animal movements is a crucial first step to developing public health interventions. Land use can alter pathogen presence and infectivity, particularly in developing countries like Madagascar, where diarrheal disease is a leading cause of death. In rural areas, reliance on natural water sources for household and agricultural activities increases exposure to diarrheal disease-causing pathogens. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the relationship between diarrhea causing parasites and water in changing landscapes. This study aims to determine waterborne presence of zoonotic pathogens and map transmission pathways between humans, animals, and the environment. We will utilize genetic metabarcoding to assess endoparasitic assemblages in rural watersheds of northeastern Madagascar using the novel VESPA (Vertebrate Eukaryotic endoSymbiont and Parasite Analysis) protocol. Water samples from rivers in Marojejy National Park and surrounding villages will be sequenced and taxonomically identified to determine parasite presence and abundance. Environmental pathogen presence will be analyzed with human and domestic animal geospatial distribution data to determine risk based on landscape type and water usage. These data will highlight areas where parasites are most prevalent, and where humans and wildlife are at highest risk for contracting or spreading zoonotic disease. There is currently no published literature regarding the use of environmental DNA for parasite risk assessment in Madagascar. Successful use of this technique would allow for monitoring of disease and public health measures that consider environmental impact of disease transmission.