The Team
The Fidy lab includes students and scientists based at East Carolina University, the University of Antananarivo and at our molecular lab called "Mahaliana Labs"
in Madagascar. We are working together to determine how recent human-induced changes are reshaping the landscape of diseases and facilitating the movement of pathogens.
Join the lab!
Interested in joining the lab? please visit the Prospective students page
​
Current Lab Members

PhD student
Kayla Evans
Kayla is a PhD student at ECU where she explores the ecology and epidemiology of Plasmodium (parasite causing malaria) in wild lemurs of Madagascar.

MS student - East Carolina University
Rianna Mancerra
Rianna is a Master Student at ECU investigating the effects of climate change on the risks of environmentally transmitted pathogens in North Carolina.

Master Student - East Carolina University
Glory Kidimbu
Glory is a Master Student (co advised with Dr A. Peralta) investigating the spatio-temporal distribution of a zoonotic pathogen (Toxoplasma gondii) in the environment and the role that an invasive invertebrate species (Asian clam) may play in its epidemiology

Undergraduate student - East Carolina University
Billy Hinson
Billy is an undergraduate student at ECU. For his thesis, Billy uses serological techniques to invesitigate the exposure of wild lemurs to Toxoplasma gondii.

Lab Manager - Mahaliana Labs
Santatra Randrianarisoa
Santatra is a veterinarian and the Mahaliana lab manager. He earned his veterinary degree (DVM) from the University of Antananarivo in 2022 where he studied the epidemiology of chronic respiratory diseases (Mycoplasma gallisepticum) in poultry at live bird markets in Madagascar.

Field Veterinarian - Mahaliana Labs
Olivier Rasolofoniaina
Olivier is a veterinarian and the manager of the field research station in Betampona. Olivier earned his veterinary degree from the University of Antananarivo studying the epidemiology of potentially zoonotic pathogens such as Bartonella sp. in introduced rodents near a protected area of Madagascar.

Undergraduate student - East Carolina University
Baylee Smith
Baylee is an undergraduate student at ECU. She is completing her thesis on the prevalence of renal carriage of Leptospira in rodents of Madagascar.

​
You (?)
We welcome undergraduate and graduate students interested in joining our team! We are looking for students with interests in disease ecology, epidemiology and conservation sciences who are eager to participate in our current projects or pursue a question of their own involving a combination of field studies, molecular lab work and computational modeling.
Former Lab Members

Veterinary student - University of Antananarivo
Sanda Rabenoro
Sanda is a veterinary student from the University of Antananarivo. She studied the ecology of a zoonotic parasite called Toxoplasma gondii in chickens across a gradient of climatic and husbandry conditions.
​

Veterinary student - University of Antananarivo
Justorien Rambeloniaina
Justorien is a veterinary student from the University of Antananarivo. For his veterinary thesis, he studied the ecology and movement of pathogens including Leptospira and Babesia via the cattle trade network in Madagascar.
​
Collaborators




