Climate-Sensitive Infections Research Group
(CSI - Michigan)
(CSI - Michigan)
About
CSI-Michigan is an interdisciplinary research group located within the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Michigan. Our group applies mathematical and statistical models to understand the impact of climate, public health policies, and individual behaviors on infectious disease dynamics. A major focus of our work is on the emergence of fungal infections, including Valley fever (also known as coccidioidomycosis), blastomycosis, and histoplasmosis. Our work and methods cross multiple disciplines, including epidemiology, data science, econometrics, environmental health, and ecology. We collaborate with state and federal agencies to help convey findings into actionable public health outcomes.
Research Projects
Estimating population immunity to Valley fever
Coccidioidomycosis, also called Valley fever, is a fungal disease caused by inhalation of soil-dwelling spores endemic to the southwestern US. Despite its changing epidemiology, our most recent knowledge of immunity to Valley fever is based on surveys from 1951. Cases ascertained by surveillance systems are believed to vastly undercount true incidence: CDC estimates nearly 150,000 cases of Valley fever go uncounted each year. Lack of data on population immunity obscures our understanding of the true burden of disease, hinders our understanding of the specific exposures that drive risk, and presents a challenge for planning vaccine trials. We are funded by an NIH R01 award “Estimating and understanding implications of population susceptibility to coccidioidomycosis, an emerging infectious disease” to develop new approaches for understanding population immunity to Valley fever. We aim to: 1) advance methods for estimating immunity to Coccidioides in the general population using cell-mediated immunity (i.e., skin) tests and population-level serological surveys, and identify exposures associated with prior infection; 2) develop computational approaches to improve estimation of population-level immunity to Coccidioides and case under-reporting via the integration of data from surveillance, serology, and cell-mediated immunity tests; and 3) with an updated understanding of population immunity and case under- reporting, evaluate the risk factors and exposures that give rise to infection. This project involves both primary data collection - including via serosurveys and skin test surveys - and various statistical and mathematical modeling approaches.
Understanding the emergence of Valley fever in a changing climate
Incidence of Valley fever has been increasing markedly in the American southwest, and environmental factors are likely at play. We work with the Remais and Taylor lab at UC Berkeley (recipients of an NIH R01 award, “Integrating epidemiologic and environmental approaches to understand and predict Coccidioides exposure and coccidioidomycosis emergence”) and the Heaney lab at UC San Diego (recipients of an NIH R21 award Determining the effects of ambient dust exposure and extreme dust events on coccidioidomycosis in Arizona) to addresses gaps in our understanding of the kinds of dust exposures, and the environmental and social conditions, that increase the incidence of coccidioidomycosis in the southwest. We are examining the role of environmental disturbances – like drought, wildfires, and oil and gas drilling – in the geographic expansion of the pathogen.
Understanding the influence of climate and other environmental factors on blastomycosis
Blastomycosis is a disease caused by inhalation of fungal spores of Blastomyces spp. that grow in soil or decaying wood. In the U.S., 57% of diagnosed cases are hospitalized and 8% die. The Great Lakes region has among the highest incidence rates of blastomycosis in the U.S., and annual case counts are rising rapidly. Via partnernship with Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan state health departments, we seek to 1) understand how variation in precipitation and temperature influences blastomycosis incidence within the Great Lakes region and examine heterogeneity in this relationship by land cover and social vulnerability; 2) estimate the effect of extreme precipitation and flooding on blastomycosis incidence; and 3) determine the seasonality of blastomycosis and investigate how variation in precipitation and temperature explain seasonal timing and strength over space and time. This project is funded by an NIH R21 award, “Understanding the influence of climate and other environmental factors on blastomycosis incidence and seasonality in northern Great Lakes states”.
Understanding the impact of extreme weather on health outcomes nationally and in Detroit, MI
Extreme weather events are increasing under climate change, causing adverse health outcomes among older adults and among Detroit residents. Using claims data, we are examining the health impacts of extreme precipitation and weather volatility among Medicare beneficiaries across the United States and examining interventions that may alleviate associated health burdens. We are also working locally to understand experiences with basement flooding in the Detroit area and identify policies that may reduce the impact of flooding on respiratory and mental health outcomes.
Tracking HPAI H5N1 transmission among peridomestic mammals
This USDA-funded project aims to understand the potential for sustained transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A H5N1 among wild mammals in areas with high poultry density and the risk of introduction from wild mammals to poultry, to inform biosecurity measures at the wildlifepoultry interface. Through partnership with various wildlife rehab centers and other organizations, we are assessing current and prior infection with H5N1 among wild terrestrial mammals. Using phylogenic and landscape analyses, we will examine transmission routes within peridomestic mammals to determine if HPAI H5N1 may be sustained in wild reservoirs via mammal-to-mammal transmission.
Preventing Valley fever in California state prisons
Incidence of Valley fever is disproportionately high among incarcerated populations. We are working with California Correctional Health Care Services to examine risk factors for the transmission of Valley fever and evaluate preventative measures among California’s incarcerated residents.
Distribution of human-pathogenic fungi in environmental media (soil, air, zoonotic hosts)
One research focus seeks to understand features that influence the environmental presence of endemic mycoses. We conduct environmental sampling for Coccidioides, Histoplasma and Blastomyces spp. All three fungal pathogens grow in the soil and become airborne and are capable of infecting other mammalian hosts. As some examples of our work, we are examining the distribution of Blastomyces spp. in soils collected from along the upper Wisconsin River to understand transient increases in the pathogen following flooding. We are conducting longitudinal soil surveillance within burrows and surface soils within the Carrizo Plain, in areas with rodents and without to understand the role of rodents in the lifecycle of the Coccidioides fungus. We have worked with the US EPA to understand Coccidioides airborne dispersal using Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS). Finally, we are investigating the distribution of Histoplasma infection in bats across Michigan to see if bats can be used to reveal human infection patterns.
People
Current members
Jennifer Head-Zhutenegger, PhD, MPH (PI)
John G. Searle Assistant Professor of Epidemiology
Ph.D. Epidemiology, University of California Berkeley
MPH Global Environmental Health, Emory University
B.S Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis
Email: jrhead@umich.edu
Talia Sternbach, PhD, MSc (Postdoctoral Fellow)
M-LEEaD 2026-27 Center Scientist
Ph.D. Epidemiology, McGill University
MSc Epidemiology, McGill University
B.A Environmental Science, McGill University
Email: talstern@umich.edu
Research Interests: Talia is interested in the health impacts of environmental exposures, like heavy rainfall and temperature, as well as environmental and social policies that may affect these exposures and drive health consequences. She is particularly interested in identifying intervention points along exposure-response pathways and applying impact evaluation methods to assess whether and how policies and other interventions reduce harmful exposures and improve population health.
Current research: Her current work investigates how extreme precipitation and flooding affect disease risk at both national and local scales, including in Detroit, with a focus on identifying built and social environment factors that could mitigate this risk.
Other interests: Exploring outside - walking or biking around Ann Arbor, hiking, swimming - preferably with good coffee.
Vanessa Slack, MPH (Ph.D Candidate)
Rackham Merit Fellow
MPH Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health
BS Zoology, Northern Michigan University
Email: vmslack@umich.edu
Research Interests: Zoonotic and emerging infectious diseases (rabies, parasites, fungal, and other zoonotic pathogens)
Current research: Blastomycosis in humans and dogs; Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in mammals; and Histoplasmosis in bats
Other interests: Reading, knitting and crocheting, playing video games, and collecting mammalian skulls and skeletons.
Natalie Wodniak, MPH (Ph.D Candidate):
MPH Global Health Epidemiology and Disease Control, George Washington University
BA Environmental Studies & Humanitarian Studies, Fordham University
Email: nwodniak@umich.edu
Research Interests: Natalie is broadly interested in emerging and reemerging infectious disease epidemiology and global health security. Her research interests include strengthening disease surveillance and estimating burden of disease, causally evaluating the environmental drivers of infectious disease, and using mathematical modeling to understand transmission dynamics through a One Health perspective.
Current research: Natalie’s current projects include: 1) an evaluation of flooding as a risk factor for blastomycosis infection in the Great Lakes region, 2) estimation of the rates of waning detection of coccidioidomycosis (Valley fever) infection by two assays, 3) estimating the burden of blastomycosis throughout the US, including in states that do not report surveillance data, and 4) exploring the burden of H5N1 influenza infection among peridomestic mammals and possible transmission mechanisms to birds and humans.
Other interests: Natalie lived and worked in Bangkok, Thailand for over 3 years. While living in SE Asia, she picked up the hobbies of outdoor rock climbing and scuba diving. She is passionate about marine conservation and is actively seeking her next conservation volunteer activity! At home, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two cats. She is an amateur birder and photographer, and uses birding as motivation to spend extra time outside, even in the cold Michigan winters.
Sophia Kruger, MPH (Research Associate Staff)
MPH Global Health Epidemiology, University of Michigan
BS Biology of Global Health, University of St. Thomas
Email: sophik@umich.edu
Research interests: Sophia is interested in the influences of a changing climate on infectious disease trends, particularly the range expansion of environmentally driven diseases into susceptible populations. She is passionate about the applicability of harm reduction strategies in establishing interventions that advance health equity in the face of climate-driven health injustices. Sophia is also broadly interested in many topical public health concerns from the impacts of conventional agriculture on cancer rates to the effects of recreational drug decriminalization on overdose and usage rates, and she enjoys ruminating on how we communicate research on these issues to the general public.
Current projects: Sophia works on projects seeking to 1) estimate and understand population immunity to coccidioidomycosis (Valley fever) in California and 2) determine the effects of lagged precipitation and temperature on coccidioidomycosis in Arizona.
Other interests: Sophia loves touring art museums, farmers markets, parks, and supporting small businesses. She keeps up-to-date on the restaurant scene, wherever she is or might travel to, and picks new places to try on occasion. She always enjoys spending time cooking, baking, and cocktail-crafting for others, reading, and convening with nature (gardening, walking, sitting & staring), but she also cycles through new hobbies. Currently, she’s enjoying card-making, crocheting/knitting, and (amateur) bird-watching!
Julia Hermann, MPH (Research Associate Staff)
MPH Hospital and Molecular Epidemiology, University of Michigan
BS Health Science, Boston University
Email: jnherm@umich.edu
Research interests: Julia is interested in infectious disease epidemiology, particularly zoonotic and environmentally-acquired diseases. She is passionate about understanding how the infectious disease landscape is changing, and will continue to change, in our evolving climate. Her other research interests center around how socioeconomic factors impact disease burden and the interaction between poverty and neglected tropical diseases.
Current projects: Julia’s current projects include: 1) a pilot serosurvey to determine the prevalence of potential exposure to Coccidioides in West Texas, 2) a broader study aimed at understanding population immunity to Valley fever in the western United States, 3) a project to understand the prevalence of HPAI H5N1 among peridomestic mammals, with the goal of aiding biosecurity efforts in the dairy and poultry industry
Other interests: Julia is a long-time Michigander! In her spare time, she likes to knit, read Stephen King and sci-fi books, and go to her local park to watch turtles.
Nate Truettner, MS (Research Associate)
MS Computational Epidemiology and Systems Modeling, University of Michigan
BS Biology & Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Email: ntruettn@umich.edu
Research interests: Infectious disease forecasting & genetic epidemiology
Current projects: Short-term forecasting of coccidioidomycosis incidence in Arizona using an ensemble modeling approach
Other interests: Going to the movies, reading, video games, and doing things outdoors.
Jamie Cooksey, MS (Research Associate)
MS Animal Health and Welfare, Nottingham Trent University
BS Animal Science, Iowa University
Email: jcooksey@umich.edu
Research interests: One Health, animal health and the mechanisms driving emerging zoonotic disease transmission
Current projects: Investigating the links between rodents and Coccidioides transmission
Other interests: Jamie loves traveling and has visited 13 countries and backpacked solo across Europe. Her hobbies include learning new hobbies, hiking, wildlife photography, videogames, and reading. She loves coding and learning new coding languages, and built her own desktop computer. She also enjoys creative activities like painting, sewing, and stained-glass art.
Chris Bull (Graduate Research Assistant):
MS Computational Epidemiology and Systems Modeling, University of Michigan (ongoing)
BS Economics and Mathematical Methods in the Social Sciences, Northwestern University
Email: cwbull@umich.edu
Research interests: Chris is interested in applying quantitative approaches to understand how interactions between humans and their built and natural environments modulate infectious disease dynamics. He is particularly interested in understanding how new infectious disease risks may emerge under climate change, both as a direct result of sustained planetary warming and as a product of climate-induced patterns of human mobility and land use.
Current projects: Chris is characterizing climate and health relationships among older adults using national Medicare claims data. He leads work to understand associations between temperature volatility and mortality and supports work on extreme precipitation, flooding and respiratory infection.
Other interests: Playing and watching soccer, playing guitar, watching movies, and hiking.
Emma Kohrt (Graduate Research Assistant):
MPH Epidemiology, University of Michigan (ongoing)
BS Health Sciences, Northeastern University
Email: ekohrt@umich.edu
Research interests: Infectious disease epidemiology, pharmacoepidemiology, real-world evidence, and health outcomes research
Current projects: Investigating nationwide trends in fungal infection (blastomycosis, histoplasmosis, coccidioidomycosis) incidence from 2006 to 2021 using Medicare claims data.
Other interests: Emma is originally from Connecticut and loves spending time outdoors, especially going to the beach and exploring new places! In her free time, she also enjoys reading, catching up on reality TV, and trying out new coffee shops.
Emilia Yu (Graduate Research Assistant):
MPH Epidemiology, University of Michigan (ongoing)
BA Economics, New York University
Email: emiliayu@umich.edu
Research interests: Infectious disease, social epidemiology, mental health
Current projects: Mixed-methods study of the effects of extreme weather on health
Other interests: Emilia is originally from Pennsylvania but lived in New York City for over a decade before coming to Ann Arbor for school! She enjoys listening to and playing music, playing video games and Dungeons and Dragons, and exploring the local food scene.
Vianey Cardiel (Graduate Research Assistant):
MPH Occ. & Env. Epidemiology, University of Michigan (ongoing)
BS Neuroscience, University of Michigan
Email: vcardiel@umich.edu
Research interests: Climate change, human-animal-ecosystem disease interactions, and wildlife conservation
Current projects: Laboratory analysis of soil samples for Blastomyces
Other interests: Vianey enjoys hiking, drawing, cooking, and finding new shows to watch. She volunteers at the Huron Valley Animal Society in her spare time and has isopods and fish as pets!
Maya Hoffman (Graduate Research Assistant):
MPH Occ. & Env. Epidemiology, University of Michigan (ongoing)
BS Public Health Science, University of Maryland
Email: hoffmaya@umich.edu
Research interests: Maya is interested in One Health, infectious diseases, zoonoses, and exposure science. She is motivated by questions about how environmental exposures and human–animal–environment interactions shape population health.
Current projects: Maya’s research efforts involve tracking highly-pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 transmission among peridomestic mammals. She also supports laboratory-based projects investigating Histoplasma and Blastomyces distribution in environmental and animal samples.
Other interests: Maya is originally from the Philadelphia area. Her hobbies include hiking and biking, listening to/playing music and attending live music and theater!
Marguerite George (Graduate Research Assistant):
MPH Global Health Epidemiology, University of Michigan (ongoing)
BS Biology, Salve Regina University
Email: megeorge@umich.edu
Research interests: Marguerite is interested in public health, with a particular interest in infectious diseases and their impact on populations and communities. She is interested in understanding how infectious diseases spread, the factors that contribute to disease transmission, and how socioeconomic conditions, healthcare access, and public health policies influence health outcomes. She hopes to explore how interdisciplinary research can inform public health policy, strengthen global disease preparedness, and address health disparities among vulnerable populations.
Current projects: Marguerite’s research efforts are focused on understanding the environmental distribution of fungal pathogens, particularly Histoplasma and Blastomyces, in the Great Lakes region. She is also supporting laboratory-based projects investigating the presence and distribution of these pathogens in bat tissue and environmental soil samples.
Other interests: Marguerite is an avid outdoors person and enjoys long walks, hiking, rollerblading, biking, and skiing. She also loves to read psychological thrillers, listen to music, and cook!
Riley McLoy (Undergraduate Research Assistant):
BS Public Health Sciences, University of Michigan (ongoing)
Email: rmcloy@umich.edu
Research interests: Riley is interested in infectious diseases, and human-animal disease interactions.
Current projects: Riley’s research efforts involve working on establishing the role of peridomestic mammals in maintaining H5N1 among poultry and promoting biosecurity at the wildlife-poultry interface.
Other interests: Riley is originally from Massachusetts. In her free time she like to read, run, cook, and spend time with her friends. She also loves the outdoors, and likes to travel, hike, and ski!
Previous members
Violette Bonvalet: MS, Computational Epidemiology & Systems Modelling
Kelly Yan: MPH, Epidemiology
Zoe Brokering: MPH, Epidemiology
Carly Kallembach: MPH, Environmental Health Sciences
Arundhati Rajan: MPH, Biostatistics
Nidhi Remesh: MPH, Hospital and Molecular Epidemiology
Jack Ullman: BS, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Sarah Dobson: MPH, Epidemiology
Rachael Brooks: MPH, Epidemiology
Eve Lin: BS, Computer Science (UC Berkeley)
Publications
Select publications that best represent the group are below. See a full list of publications in Google Scholar
2026
Couper LI, Gonzalez DJX, Camponuri SK, Weaver AK, Sondermeyer Cooksey GL, Vugia D, Jain S, Taylor J, Balmes J, Eisen EA, Remias JV, Head JR (2026). Oil and gas well development and coccidioidomycosis risk in Kern County, CA, USA: a case-crossover study. Lancet Planetary Health. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanplh.2026.101521
Head JR and Heaney AK (2026). Emergence of Human Pathogenic Fungi in a Changing Climate. Nature Reviews Microbiology. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-026-01345-4
Head JR, Brouwer AF, Rajan A, Scherer M, Williams M, Balmes J, Thompson GR, Ampel ND, Lucas KD, (2026). Coccidioides skin test performance and patterns of prior immunity to coccidioidomycosis among a large population of males entering California state prisons, 2015–2024: a population-based modelling study. Lancet Regional Health Americas 58:101461. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lana.2026.101461
Kruger S, Ruberto I, Williamson T, Remais JV, Heaney AK, Head JR, (2026). Regional increases in coccidioidomycosis incidence—Arizona, 2005-2022 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 75(6). http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7506a3
Head, JR, Camponuri SK, Weaver AK, Montoya L, Lee E, Radosevich M, Jones I, Wagner R, Bhattachan A, Campbell G, Keeney N, Collender PA, Heaney AK, Couper L, Colvin KA, Larios L, Bean WT, Taylor JW, Remais JV. (2026). Small mammals and their burrows shape the distribution of Coccidioides in soils: evidence from a long-term ecological experiment in the Carrizo Plain National Monument, California, USA. Ecology
Hermann JN, Kruger SE, Wodniak N, Holland J, Janosick V, Sanchez A, Zuniga-Moya JC, Brucker D, Torres B, Melo KM, Oliveros E, Kuran R, D’Assumpcao C, Johnson RH, Van Pelt RS, Bhattachan B, Wagner AL, Head JR (2026). Intent to Accept a Valley Fever Vaccine for Humans and Dogs and Factors Influencing Intended Uptake: A Cross-Sectional Survey in Two Endemic Regions Journal of Fungi 12(6), 420. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12060420