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March 4, 2026
Location: SB 156
Time: 12:00 pm
Presenter: Cierra Briggs, MS, CPH
Protecting Communities Through One Health as an Entomologist
Abstract:
Since the early 2000s, the United States has experienced the introduction of new species of mosquitoes and ticks, expansions in the range of multiple species, and the discovery of new vector-borne pathogens. The United States has also faced threats of mosquito-borne pathogen introductions from other countries with increasing frequency in recent years. Concurrently in the 2000s, the importance of the interconnection between animal, human, and environmental health became more evident. This concept, termed “One Health”, can be applied to many aspects of vector biology and vector-borne disease transmission. In this seminar, I will discuss how I have used a One Health approach to investigate Anaplasmosis transmission and an outbreak of West Nile virus. I will also discuss how the Mosquito and Vector Control Division of Harris County Public Health uses a combination of One Health principles and Integrated Vector Management Strategies to protect residents of Harris County.
Cierra Briggs is the Alternative Mosquito Control and Applied Research Entomologist for Harris County Public Health – Mosquito and Vector Control Division (MCVD). In this role, Cierra supervises the day-to-day operations of the Alternative Mosquito Control and Applied Research lab and field operations. This section focuses on testing novel insect control strategies, developing new traps, and responding to emerging threats. Cierra has been with MVCD for two and a half years. During her first year with MVCD, Cierra was the Testing and Evaluation Entomologist. In the Testing and Evaluation Section, Cierra led field and lab-based tests that monitored insecticide resistance in mosquito populations from Harris County.
Prior to joining MVCD, Cierra was a Program Associate for the McDermott Livestock Entomology Lab at the University of Arkansas. In this position Cierra served as a lab manager while also conducting research projects focusing on biting midge ecology and surveillance for tick-borne diseases. Cierra earned a B.S. in Biomedical Sciences and Entomology from Texas A&M in 2019 and a M.S. in Entomology with a concentration in Vector-Borne Disease Biology from Cornell University in 2021. Cierra currently serves as the Early Career Professional Representative for the Medical, Urban, and Veterinary Entomology Section of the Entomology Society of America.
Light Lunch will be served.
