Jon Zelner

Jon Zelner is an Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. His research integrates social and biological mechanisms to understand spatiotemporal patterns of infectious disease transmission, with a focus on respiratory infections (e.g., influenza, SARS-CoV-2, tuberculosis) and health equity.

• Education: PhD in Sociology and Public Policy (University of Michigan, 2011); MSW in Health and Social Development (Washington University in St. Louis, 2005); BA in Sociology (Haverford College, 2003).

Research Interests: Zelner’s work spans infectious disease epidemiology, social epidemiology, and spatial statistics. He examines how structural inequities drive disparities in infection risk and outcomes, using Bayesian inference and simulation models to integrate data across scales. Key projects include modeling household- and community-level transmission of respiratory pathogens, analyzing MRSA dynamics in carceral settings, and studying environmental drivers of Valley Fever.

Scientific Awards:

• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Health & Society Scholar (Columbia University, 2014–2016)
• NIH/RAPIDD Postdoctoral Fellow (Princeton University, 2011–2014)

Advising & Collaborations: Zelner leads the EpiBayes research group, collaborating across disciplines to optimize infectious disease surveillance and address health disparities. His methodological expertise includes spatial regression, transmission modeling, and Bayesian inference.