Christy C. Andrade

Christy C. Andrade serves as an Associate Professor of Biology within the College of Arts & Sciences at Gonzaga University, where she teaches foundational and advanced courses in microbiology, virology, and infectious disease. Her academic leadership spans classroom instruction and active research in vector-borne disease systems, reflecting a career-long commitment to advancing scientific literacy and addressing global health challenges through interdisciplinary approaches.

Her academic credentials include:

• Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of California - Davis
• B.S. in Chemistry from Northern Arizona University

Dr. Andrade's research program centers on the complex triad of arthropod-borne viruses, mosquito vectors, and environmental modulators of transmission. She investigates how microbial communities within mosquito midguts influence viral propagation, particularly for pathogens like West Nile, dengue, and Zika viruses. Her work integrates molecular virology with ecological field studies to identify critical transmission bottlenecks, emphasizing temperature-dependent viral replication dynamics and vector competence variations. This research provides foundational insights for developing microbiome-targeted interventions to disrupt disease cycles.

Analysis of her 13 publications from 2005-2024 reveals an evolutionary trajectory from environmental microbiology toward specialized arbovirology. Her scholarly output demonstrates consistent focus on viral genetics, vector-pathogen interactions, and environmental determinants of transmission. Key methodological approaches include genomic sequencing, qRT-PCR variant detection, and in vivo vector competence assays. Recurring themes include West Nile virus evolution, dengue strain displacement dynamics, and novel antiviral strategies targeting flaviviruses, reflecting her dedication to translational virology research.

While specific grant details and student mentorship records remain undocumented in available materials, her extensive collaborative publications with institutions including the CDC Arbovirus Diseases Branch and UC Davis indicate robust research partnerships and active engagement in training junior scientists through co-authorship opportunities.