Ronald E. Blanton

Ronald E. Blanton is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Tropical Medicine at Tulane University's School of Public Health & Tropical Medicine, holding the William Henderson Chair in the Prevention of Tropical Diseases. He also serves as an Adjunct Professor at Case Western Reserve University's Departments of Pathology and Biostatistics, and previously held roles at Cleveland State University. His academic background includes a B.A. in English from Harvard University (1974), an M.D. from Case Western Reserve University (1979), and an M.S. in Genetic Epidemiology (2003).

Dr. Blanton's research focuses on integrating molecular biology and epidemiology to study parasitic diseases like schistosomiasis and flaviviruses (dengue, hepatitis C). He specializes in population genetics, identifying human genetic determinants of disease susceptibility and tracing pathogen/vector distributions. His 40-year career in Brazil and other regions emphasizes applying genetic insights to public health strategies and evaluating disease control measures' efficacy.

He holds expertise in Portuguese and Spanish, with extensive fieldwork in Brazil, Peru, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, Kenya, and Egypt. His accolades include Brazil's Special Visiting Professorship (2014) and a Fulbright Scholarship (2014). His work bridges laboratory science, global health, and policy, advocating for genetics-driven public health interventions.