معرفی
Ricardo Castillo-Neyra is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Epidemiology at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. He is the Scientific Director of the UPENN-UPCH Zoonotic Disease Research Center, a binational research consortium focused on urban zoonotic diseases in Latin America. His work bridges public health, veterinary medicine, and social sciences through the One Health framework.
His research focuses on the epidemiology of zoonotic diseases in rapidly growing urban ecosystems, particularly canine rabies and Blastocystis infections in Peru. He employs interdisciplinary methods to study socio-spatial dynamics, health access inequities, and the impact of global crises like the COVID-19 pandemic on disease transmission.
The recent publications highlight a strong trend in urban infectious disease dynamics, particularly how social and structural factors influence zoonotic disease emergence and control. His work integrates mathematical modeling, field epidemiology, and social science to optimize vaccination campaigns and understand barriers to preventive care.
- Principal Investigator, NIH-funded project on socio-spatial dynamics of urban zoonotic diseases
- Principal Investigator, NIH-funded project on optimized mass vaccination campaigns
- Co-Principal Investigator, Mellon Foundation project on social inequalities and infectious disease emergence
Dr. Castillo-Neyra leads the Zoonotic Diseases Research Laboratory (ZDRL), which employs over 30 full-time staff across the US and Peru, fostering international collaboration and capacity building in global health research.
