Global Conservation Organization Expands Team

Wildlife Trust Adds Conservation Medicine Scientists to Infectious Disease Programs

NEW YORK – June 5, 2009 – Wildlife Trust, the organization that empowers local conservation scientists worldwide to protect nature and safeguard ecosystem and human health, announced the addition of two scientists to its growing team. James "Jim" Desmond and Parviez Hosseini, Ph.D., recently joined Wildlife Trust's Conservation Medicine program to work on core zoonotic disease research.

Parviez Hosseini was recently hired as a Senior Research Fellow at Wildlife Trust to study the dynamics of Chikungunya and other vector-borne diseases. Chikungunya virus is indigenous to tropical Africa and Asia, where it is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected mosquitoes. The word "Chikungunya" is thought to derive from local dialect describing the contorted posture of patients afflicted with the severe joint pain associated with this disease. Outbreaks have occurred in Mauritius, Réunion, India, and most recently Thailand. "My research utilizes mathematical and computer models to predict the spread of emerging diseases across the globe," said Hosseini.

Hosseini received his Ph.D. from the University of California, Santa Barbara and his research has been published in top-tier scientific journals. Prior to joining the organization, Hosseini served as Associate Research Scholar in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Princeton University. “Our conservation scientists are on the cutting-edge of predicting and preventing pandemic disease outbreaks. We will benefit greatly from Parviez’s skills. This work will provide policymakers, governmental bodies and local conservation organizations the information needed to head off ecosystem failure,” stated Dr. Peter Daszak, president of Wildlife Trust.

Wildlife Trust field veterinarian James Desmond will primarily manage wildlife field studies in Bangladesh, India, Brazil, Mexico and the Philippines. Desmond’s work will include wildlife sampling, cataloging existing wildlife diseases and uncovering new pathogens and their possible threat to human health. “New diseases emerge because of the connection between humans, livestock and wildlife. We can examine how globally degraded ecosystems contributes to new disease emergence by sampling and testing species for new viruses,” commented Desmond. The impacts of wildlife disease on animal populations and human health are devastating and Wildlife Trust continues to work on safeguards to monitor and protect human health from zoonotic diseases.

Before joining Wildlife Trust, Desmond completed a Doctorate in veterinarian medicine, a Masters in Comparative Biomedical Sciences and an International Veterinary Medicine Certificate from Tufts University Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. Desmond has spent a considerable amount of time in Uganda, Malaysia and Indonesia working with wildlife organizations such as the Chimpanzee Sanctuary & Wildlife Conservation Trust, The Jane Goodall Institute, the Orangutan Foundation International and the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre. “We are very pleased to bring Desmond on board, his background in wildlife research is impressive and we look forward to developing this project to further study the risks of zoonotic disease spillover,” said Daszak.

About Wildlife Trust
Wildlife Trust empowers local conservation scientists worldwide to protect nature and safeguard ecosystem and human health. Wildlife Trust is a conservation science innovator and leverages research expertise through strategic global alliances. Wildlife Trust pioneered the field of Conservation Medicine, a new discipline that addresses the link between ecological disruption of habitats and the effects on wildlife, livestock and human health.

Founded in 1971 by British naturalist and author Gerald Durrell, Wildlife Trust has built its reputation on 35 years of global research, education, training and experience. Research and conservation work in the United States include programs in Florida and along the coast of the Southeastern U.S.

Internationally, Wildlife Trust trains and supports a network of scientists around the world to save endangered species and their habitats and to protect the health of vital ecosystems. Wildlife Trust created the first egalitarian international network of science-based conservation organizations called the Wildlife Trust Alliance and is a founding partner organization of the Consortium for Conservation Medicine, a unique think-tank of prestigious academic institutions.

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Anthony Ramos, Wildlife Trust
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ramos@wildlifetrust.org
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