Michael Z. Levy

Michael Z. Levy is a Professor of Epidemiology in the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. He co-directs the University of Pennsylvania/Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia Zoonotic Disease Research Laboratory in Arequipa, Peru, and holds secondary affiliations with the Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Center for Public Health Initiatives, History and Sociology of Science, and Latin American and Latinx Studies. His research spans interdisciplinary domains including vector-borne diseases, computational biology, urban ecology, and social justice.

• Education: B.A. in Philosophy and Biology from Amherst College (1998), PhD in Population Biology, Ecology, and Evolution from Emory University (2007).

Levy's work focuses on urban zoonotic diseases, particularly Chagas disease and canine rabies, integrating ecology, epidemiology, and computational methods. He investigates how insect vectors interact with social systems, housing policies, and climate change, extending to pandemic modeling during the Covid-19 crisis.

His research group (28 members) collaborates with Peruvian Ministry of Health to control Chagas and rabies outbreaks in Arequipa. Notable contributions include novel geospatial surveillance models, behavioral economics applications for vector control, and bed bug epidemiology linking infestations to public health challenges.

Recent publications highlight 2025-2024 trends in Chagas vector dynamics, zoonotic rabies control, vaccine strategies, and genomic outbreak analysis, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches to urban disease ecology.

He has participated in cluster randomized trials and behavioral design studies to improve community engagement in vector control campaigns in Peru, focusing on incentive mechanisms and surveillance equity.

The Zoonotic Disease Research Lab in Arequipa employs interdisciplinary methods combining biological research, social science, and computational modeling to address urban disease transmission.