Tamara Giles-Vernick

Tamara Giles-Vernick is a Research Professor and Head of the Anthropology and Ecology of Disease Emergence unit at Institut Pasteur in Paris, France. Her research integrates medical anthropology and ethnohistory to investigate infectious disease transmission, global health interventions, and human-environment interactions in Africa. She holds a Ph.D. in African History from Johns Hopkins University and an HDR in Anthropology from École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales.

Education:

• Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches (HDR) in Anthropology, EHESS Paris (2013)
• Ph.D., African History, Johns Hopkins University (1996)
• M.A., African History, University of Oxford (1992)
• B.A., Pomona College (1985)

Her research focuses on medical anthropology and historical epidemiology, examining hepatitis B/HIV emergence, zoonotic diseases, vaccination, and pandemic responses. She leads multidisciplinary projects studying human-animal-environment interfaces in Central Africa and develops anthropological frameworks for epidemic preparedness in Europe. Current work includes tick-borne encephalitis risk communication and community engagement strategies for health emergencies.

Her publications analyze trends in global health interventions, community vulnerability, and historical disease trajectories. Recent articles explore trust in epidemic response, microbiome impacts of hygiene policies, and participatory approaches to infectious threat management across diverse cultural contexts.

Dr. Giles-Vernick coordinates 28 research projects including Horizon Europe-funded initiatives like SONAR-Global and INCEPTION. She mentors junior researchers and collaborates with networks across Europe and Africa. Her lab employs mixed methodologies ranging from ethnography to molecular epidemiology to address health inequalities in marginalized communities.