Robert Cross, PhD, MPH Assistant Professor, Department of Microbiology & Immunology
University of Texas Medical Branch – Galveston, Texas, USA

Dr. Cross is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at the University of Texas Medical Branch (https://www.utmb.edu/) in Galveston. Dr. Cross’ research is centered on the biology and pathogenesis of high priority viral agents with a particular emphasis on elucidating mechanisms of vascular leak, coagulopathy, and immune derangement in viral hemorrhagic fever infections caused by filoviruses, arenaviruses, and bunyaviruses.  His work utilizes a systems biology, molecular virology, and comparative pathogenesis approaches which utilize in vitro and in vivo models which accurately recapitulate human disease. The goal of this work is to dissect the events leading to disease or survival in order to develop medical countermeasures including vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics. Dr. Cross also has a long standing interest in the epidemiology and ecology of these viruses where a particular focus has been centered on mammalian reservoirs of viral infection.