The University of Minnesota has launched the Institute on Infectious Diseases (UMIID), a new, university-wide effort designed to strengthen preparedness and response to emerging infectious disease threats. College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM) faculty and leadership are playing key founding roles in this new institute, bringing the essential One Health perspective that is central to its mission.

Infectious disease threats continue to make headlines, from resurgent measles outbreaks to ongoing waves of COVID-19 and avian influenza. With public health resources stretched thin, the launch of UMIID underscores the University of Minnesota’s commitment to mounting rapid, science-driven responses to protect communities in Minnesota and around the world.

UMIID aims to rapidly identify and respond to infectious diseases as they emerge, while also training the next generation of scientists and public health leaders. Building on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic, the institute leverages expertise from across the University to address contemporary and future outbreaks at the local, regional, and global levels.

CVM leadership and expertise at the forefront

The College of Veterinary Medicine is a critical cornerstone of this mission. As the University’s hub for animal health and zoonotic disease expertise, CVM bridges human, animal, and environmental health in ways few institutions can. CVM researchers connect agricultural production, ecosystem health, and companion animal and human medicine, crucial for understanding and containing pathogens that move across species and borders.

CVM Dean Laura Molgaard serves on UMIID’s internal advisory committee. At the institute’s inaugural symposium on July 25, she moderated the first session on One Health and molecular surveillance, underscoring the college’s role in cross-disciplinary infectious disease research, prevention, and control.

CVM researchers also played key roles in the event’s scientific program. Matt Aliota, associate professor in the Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, spoke on the impact of viral genetics on Powassan virus emergence and disease. Declan Schroeder, professor in the Department of Veterinary Population Medicine, presented on monitoring highly pathogenic avian influenza in Minnesota wildlife. And Tiffany Wolf, associate professor in the Department of  Veterinary Population Medicine, discussed integrating pathogen surveillance and social science in ecosystem health research in South America. 

In addition, numerous CVM faculty have been named to UMIID’s core faculty, including Aliota, Jennifer Grannick, Kevin Lang, Noelle Noyes, Pamela Skinner, and Kim VanderWaal. Their contributions reflect the breadth of infectious disease research expertise within CVM.

Looking ahead

UMIID Director Michael Gale Jr. emphasized in a recent Minnesota Public Radio interview that the institute fills a critical gap in infectious disease response capacity at a time when federal and state resources are dwindling. By linking veterinary, medical, and public health sciences, CVM researchers are helping position UMIID as a primary hub for outbreak response and preparedness in Minnesota and beyond.

Gale will join the CVM community on Sept. 17 to present as part of the College’s Research, Innovation, Discovery, and Education (RIDE) Seminar Series.

The formation of UMIID represents a new chapter for infectious disease research at the University of Minnesota, and with its strong presence in the institute’s founding leadership and scientific program, CVM is poised to ensure a robust One Health perspective at the heart of UMIID’s work.

As the institute continues to grow, CVM faculty and leadership will help guide its direction, foster new collaborations, and contribute solutions to infectious disease threats across species and across the globe.

“The launch of UMIID represents a powerful opportunity to deepen collaboration across the University,” said Molgaard. “CVM’s One Health expertise is critical to understanding and responding to infectious disease threats, and I’m excited for the impact we can have together—locally, nationally, and globally.”