The Arbovirus Laboratory, directed by Dr. Ciota, utilizes a One Health approach to study endemic and exotic mosquito and tick-borne viruses. 

Research topics include virus discovery and diagnostics, arbovirus evolution, vector-virus interactions, genetic correlates of viral fitness, and modeling the role of climate in transmission. By combining investigation of natural hosts and vectors with comprehensive laboratory studies, the lab aims to increase our understanding of the factors that shape patterns of arbovirus transmission and ultimately to influence public health interventions in New York State and beyond. 

The unique facilities which comprise the Arbovirus Lab allow for extensive experimentation in a range of natural invertebrate and vertebrate hosts. 

Pathogens of interest include the orthoflaviviruses West Nile virus, Powassan virus, Zika virus, and dengue virus, as well as alphaviruses and orthobunyaviruses, among others. 

To learn more about our current projects, visit the Research Projects page.

Join our lab!

Feel free to contact alexander.ciota@health.ny.gov for more information about our laboratory.

Program Updates

Seedling News Square

Nine Seed Grants - Quintessentially Wadsworth Center

From environmental projects characterizing and quantitating contaminants in our water, food and even inside us, to infectious disease projects addressing antimicrobial resistance, “one of the world’s most urgent public health problems”, and studying factors that contribute to emerging infections, these seed grant-supported projects span a wide range of fields.
Rachel Fay, Ph.D. candidate

1st Place. 3 Minute Thesis.

Rachel Fay, Ph.D. candidate in Wadsworth Center’s Arbovirology Laboratory, under the mentorship of Dr. Alex Ciota, took first place in the University at Albany’s fourth annual Three Minute Thesis competition with her talk titled, “Increasing the resolution of vector-borne diseases and climate change”. The contest gives all graduate students across all fields at the University at Albany a chance to present their work.Listen to Rachel’s talk.
Print