MSE 2025 Speaker Series
“Relational
One Health: a more-than-biomedical approach to more-than-human health,” presented
by Dr. Julianne Meisner.
May 28, 2025
Bio: Dr. Meisner is
a veterinarian and epidemiologist, and an Assistant Professor in the
Departments of Global Health and Epidemiology at the University of Washington
in Seattle. Her research and teaching focus on pastoralist health,
epidemiologic methods for One Health, and suitable theory for
more-than-biomedical approaches to One Health. In particular, her work applies
causal inference methods, spatial and mechanistic models, and network analyses
to characterize the influence of political and social forces on health at the
human-animal-environment nexus.
Series Summary: Microorganisms are critical to many aspects of biological life, including human health. The human body is a veritable universe for microorganisms: some pass through but once, some are frequent tourists, and some spend their entire existence in the confines of our body tissues. The collective microbial community, our microbiome, can be impacted by the details of our lifestyle, including diet, hygiene, health status, and more, but many are driven by social, economic we, medical, or political constraints that restrict available choices that may impact our health. Access to resources is the basis for creating and resolving social equity—access to healthcare, healthy foods, a suitable living environment, and to beneficial microorganisms, but also access to personal and occupational protection to avoid exposure to infectious disease. This speaker series explores the way that microbes connect public policy, social disparities, and human health, as well as the ongoing research, education, policy, and innovation in this field.
