Kelly Searle

Kelly Searle, Ph.D., serves as an Associate Professor in the Division of Epidemiology and Community Health within the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota. Her academic home is firmly established at this major research university where she contributes to both teaching and research missions in public health.

Dr. Searle completed her educational journey with a BS in Pathobiology and Veterinary Science from the University of Connecticut, followed by both an ScM and PhD in Epidemiology from the prestigious Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She further refined her expertise through post-doctoral training at Johns Hopkins.

As an infectious disease epidemiologist, Dr. Searle's research centers on understanding malaria transmission dynamics across different endemic settings and the implications for developing and implementing control and elimination strategies. Her work uniquely integrates traditional epidemiologic methods with molecular biology, GIS and spatial sciences, and ecology across field sites in central and southern Africa. The overarching aim of her research is to understand how malaria affects communities and inform policies to implement the most efficient package of interventions to reduce the burden of malaria and eliminate it where feasible.

Analysis of Dr. Searle's publication record reveals a strong focus on malaria epidemiology in African settings, particularly Mozambique, with recent expansion into other areas including COVID-19 vaccine decision-making among vulnerable populations and sexually transmitted infections. Her research demonstrates methodological diversity, incorporating spatial analysis, time-series modeling, and mixed methods approaches to address complex public health challenges.

• Louis I. and Thomas D. Dublin Award (2014)

Dr. Searle's research program appears to be well-supported through field work in Africa and collaboration with international partners, though specific grant details are not provided in the available information. Her expertise spans multiple disciplines including epidemiology, spatial analysis, and infectious disease control, suggesting a multidisciplinary research team supporting her work. Her laboratory or field operations likely include both Minnesota-based analytical work and on-the-ground research activities in African field sites.