Martha Nelson, Ph.D.

Rapidly evolving RNA viruses present an ongoing challenge for human health. Influenza is one of the most challenges viruses to control because new genetic variants continuously emerge that are drug resistant, mismatch vaccine strains, or are derived from animals and unrecognized by the human immune system, leading to major global pandemics.

Next-generation sequencing offers high-resolution insights into the selective pressures that drive adaptations in influenza and other RNA viruses as they transmit over time and space and following host-switches. However, utilizing the full potential of genomic data requires new computational tools, databases that integrate genomic data and other types of metadata (e.g., host mobility, virus phenotype), and trusted collaborations with researchers collecting sensitive data in real world settings.

To address these challenges, our lab develops new phylodynamic approaches for computational analysis, constructs new integrative databases for the scientific community, and builds long-term international research collaborations with virologists, veterinarians, and clinicians collecting pathogen samples on seven continents -- from penguins in Antarctica to dairy cows in Minnesota to children in Nicaragua. By integrating data collected from wildlife, livestock, and humans, we aim to study entire disease systems within a One Health framework, advancing our fundamental knowledge of virus evolution and emergence.

Dr. Martha Nelson is a Stadtman Tenure-Track Investigator at the National Library of Medicine. Prior to coming to NLM, Dr. Nelson developed a genomic epidemiology research program at NIAID and the Fogarty International Center. She has published over 100 scientific papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals, including Nature, Science, and Cell. Her research has been featured in the New York Times, Scientific American, National Geographic, and other media outlets.