Global Health and pandemic preparedness Consulting
JONATHAN H. EPSTEIN, DVM, MPH, PHD
Dr. Jonathan Epstein, a veterinarian and epidemiologist, is a global leader in developing strategic partnerships among government, NGO and academic research institutions. For over 25 years, he has applied an evidence-based, multidisciplinary approach to research and policy partnerships with US government agencies, such as the CDC, USDA, USFWS, and USGS National Wildlife Health Center, and with foreign agencies under ministries of Health, Agriculture and Environment in more than 40 countries across Asia, Africa, and the Americas. As a consultant, he works with science and public health agencies to strengthen systems that prevent the spillover and emergence of zoonotic diseases and protect human and animal health.
services
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SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH
Senior guidance designing and implementing large-scale, international field and laboratory studies of zoonotic diseases in human, domestic animal and wildlife populations. Project management. Specializing in high consequence zoonotic viruses.
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Consulting
Subject matter expert and scientific advisor for global health systems; zoonotic disease surveillance; pandemic preparedness, One Health training and education; and spillover prevention. Extensive work with US, international ministries of health, livestock and environment; UN and other intergovernmental agencies.
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GRANT WRITING
Extensive record of securing large, multi-year federal, foundation and private sector grants for research, education, sustainability and public health policy initiatives.
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TEACHING & MENTORSHIP
Extensive experience developing didactic and field One Health training programs and workshops. 20+ years of graduate student mentorship, supervision and teaching at US and international universities. Support building One Health centers and academic programs.
RESEARCH FOCUS
SPILLOVER PREVENTION
Extensive experience studying the environmental, behavioral, and ecological drivers of zoonotic disease emergence, developing strategies to reduce the risk of viral spillover from wildlife to humans.
disease ecology
Decades of leading international field studies to identify viral reservoirs, track disease transmission, and implement surveillance systems in collaboration with global health organizations.
HOST-VIRUS IMMUNOLOGY
In-depth research on how viruses interact with wildlife hosts, including immune responses and viral evolution, to inform vaccine development and public health interventions.
PUBLICATIONS
Dr. Jonathan Epstein's research has significantly advanced the understanding of zoonotic disease emergence, particularly the role of wildlife reservoirs in virus spillover to humans. His work has been published in leading scientific journals including Science, Nature, Cell, and PNAS and has shaped global health policy and zoonotic disease surveillance systems.
Science Communication
Dr. Epstein is a trusted voice for accurate, evidence-based information about public health and science. He has extensive media and public speaking experience, and from 2017-2022 was the chief scientific advisor for the Smithsonian exhibit Outbreak: Epidemics in a Connected World at the National Museum of Natural History. He is currently a co-host of Thermometer HQ with Dr. Jay Varma, a YouTube show designed to make public health and outbreak news engaging and accessible. Together, they provide insights from more than 40 years of professional experience working around the world to combat infectious diseases.
Check out the latest episodes of Thermometer HQ
Contact
To get in touch with Dr. Epstein, please fill out the form below.