Laura Harrington became interested in global health issues and vector-borne diseases after living and working for several years in rural Thailand. She contracted both dengue and malaria while living abroad and realized the impact these infections have on children and adults in resource-poor nations. Professor Harrington’s research focuses on the biology, ecology, and behavior of mosquitoes that transmit human diseases. Current research projects in her laboratory address the blood feeding and mating behavior of mosquito vectors of dengue fever, Zika, chikungunya, West Nile virus, and malaria. She also studies human- and animal-mosquito interactions as well as the role of climate change and globalization on emerging vector-borne diseases. Professor Harrington studies mosquito biology in the field locally as well as abroad, with past or present field sites in Thailand, Tanzania, and Mexico, and she is active in extension and outreach activities in New York and the northeastern United States. She teaches and mentors undergraduate and graduate students in the areas of entomology, ecology and evolutionary biology, comparative biomedical sciences, biomathematics, general biology, animal science, and biology and society. Professor Harrington has published more than 80 peer-reviewed articles and three scientific book chapters; many of these have focused on the biology and behavior of Aedes disease vectors. Her research has been supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, USDA, and Centers for Disease Control.
Biology of Mosquitoes, Ticks, and Other Disease‑Causing ArthropodsCornell Course
Course Overview
This certificate course provides an overview of the biology of arthropods — both insects and related forms — that impact human health. You will explore the fascinating biology, behaviors, and disease-transmission processes of a range of organisms, with special emphasis on the most important groups, including ticks and mosquitoes. You will also learn about specific diseases associated with these vectors that can be passed on to humans.
This $399 course is accredited by the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) and provides 28 contact hours of continuing education. The course is an excellent foundation for understanding medical and public health entomology and disease control. It is appropriate for those working in healthcare and vector-borne disease control, as well as those who train and supervise outdoor workers. It will also be useful for students of vector biology who may not have access to other courses on this topic, and it is the informational basis for the other courses in this certificate series.
Click here for the full course outline.
Discount available for regional vector control association members – contact us!
Key Course Takeaways
Describe the physiology, life history, behavior, and ecology of different types of arthropods that affect human health.
Compare, contrast, and describe transmission cycles for pathogens and parasites that vectors pass along to human hosts.
Articulate the different potential harmful impacts — including diseases and forms of direct injury — that arthropods may have on humans, and explain common methods of preventing/mitigating those impacts.
How It Works
Course Author
Who Should Enroll
Students of medical entomology
Veterinarians
Medical providers
Public health and vector control staff
Environmental health professionals
People who are interested in the topic of biology foundations of insects and other arthropods
Anyone in a new or planned role who is responsible for protecting the public from vector-borne diseases
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