Erika Ganda

Erika Ganda is an Associate Professor in the Department of Animal Science at Pennsylvania State University's College of Agricultural Sciences. She serves as the Emphasis Area Representative for Microbiome Sciences and leads research on leveraging microbiomes to enhance food safety and animal production efficiency. Her work integrates antimicrobial resistance studies, One Health initiatives, and metagenomic analytics.

Her research focuses on:

• Microbiome modulation in livestock for pathogen mitigation
• Antimicrobial resistance dynamics in zoonotic pathogens
• Development of AI-driven metagenomic screening tools for agriculture
• Probiotic interventions in food animal production systems

Recent publications (2024-2025) demonstrate a strong emphasis on antimicrobial resistance in zoonotic contexts (e.g., Salmonella in dogs, poultry pathogens), innovative diagnostics using metagenomics/AI, and sustainable alternatives to antibiotics in veterinary medicine. These studies consistently apply One Health frameworks across human-animal-environment interfaces.

Dr. Ganda advises graduate students including Sophia Kenney, Samantha Seibel, and Alexis Palucki. She has secured significant research funding, including $1.3 million from the USDA for pathogenic threat studies. She directs laboratory operations within the One Health Microbiome Center and collaborates with the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics and Center for Reproductive Biology and Health.