Welcome!
Our lab conducts research within occupational health and infection prevention, focusing on the transmission and control of infectious diseases in healthcare settings, households, and workplaces. We aim to address critical challenges such as antimicrobial resistance, respiratory virus transmission, and the health and safety of frontline workers, including healthcare providers, first responders, and farmworkers.
Using rigorous quantitative methods, multidisciplinary collaborations, and community partnerships, we aim to develop evidence-based strategies that protect workers, reduce the burden of infectious diseases, and improve patient safety. Our mission is to translate research into practical solutions that create healthier environments and support public health.
About the Principal Investigator
Katherine (Kate) Ellingson, PhD, is a dedicated epidemiologist with a career rooted in public service and academic leadership. She began her postdoctoral career as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer and Health Scientist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where she focused on infection prevention, antibiotic resistance, healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), and outbreak response to global public health threats such as H1N1, Ebola, and Zika. She also led capacity-building initiatives to strengthen infection prevention practices in resource-limited settings and served as the agency’s subject matter expert on hand hygiene in healthcare.
Following her work at CDC, Kate joined the Oregon Health Authority as a Senior Epidemiologist. In this role, she directed the state’s mandatory HAI reporting program, led outbreak investigations, and developed programs to improve injection safety and mitigate infectious disease risks statewide.
In 2017, Kate joined the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of Arizona’s College of Public Health. Her research portfolio encompasses infection prevention and occupational health related works. She has contributed as Principal Investigator or co-investigator to more than 15 funded research projects, and her work has resulted in over 60 peer-reviewed publications addressing critical issues in public health. Kate’s research combines rigorous quantitative methods, multidisciplinary collaboration, and practical applications, with ongoing projects that focus on reducing antimicrobial resistance, improving healthcare worker safety, and understanding the transmission dynamics of infectious diseases. She continues to partner with the CDC and other leading organizations to advance infection prevention strategies and translational research that impacts global public health. Kate has guided postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and undergraduates, fostering their growth as researchers and public health professionals.
View Katherine Ellingson's Curriculum Vitae (CV) here:
