Jessica Lin, MD, MSCR
Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases
Areas of Interest
Malaria transmission, molecular epidemiology, drug resistance, non-falciparum relapsing species
About
Dr. Lin is an NIH-funded physician-scientist and principal investigator in the Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Ecology Lab (IDEEL) at UNC. Her research lies at the interface of clinical and molecular studies on malaria. Earlier in her career, she studied multi-drug resistant malaria and relapses due to vivax malaria in Southeast Asia. Her current projects focus on 1) the determinants of malaria transmission from human hosts to mosquitos, 2) the epidemiology and relapse patterns of Plasmodium ovale in East Africa, and 3) the contribution of malaria importation to continuing transmission in Zanzibar. In 2020, she led a SARS-CoV-2 household transmission study in North Carolina that demonstrated higher secondary attack rates in minority households and linked higher nasopharyngeal viral loads with increased transmission. She enjoys helping patients solve their infectious disease problems and working with colleagues and trainees to tackle interesting research questions relevant to global health.
Honors and Awards
- RTI University Scholar (2023-2024)
- Burroughs Wellcome Fund-ASTMH Postdoctoral Fellowship in Tropical Medicine, 2011
- Pfizer Centennial Travel Award in Basic Science Tropical Disease Research, 2008
Professional Memberships
- Member of ASTMH
In the news
Co-led by Jessica Lin, MD, MSCR, and Brian Bramson, MD, the UNC Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases has been awarded an ID STEP (Infectious Disease Structured Training and Engagement Program) grant to create a program for medical students, a strategic investment to expand equitable access to ID expertise for North Carolinians—especially in rural … Read more The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene’s (ASTMH) Annual Meeting, Nov. 9-13 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, drew approximately 4,900 global health professionals from around the world. Investigators from the IDEEL Lab contributed new insights to the global conversation, drawing attention to a defining crossroads in East Africa’s malaria response. Multiple IDEEL studies documented the … Read more Malaria rapid diagnostic tests (mRDTs) that detect histidine-rich protein 2 (HRP2) remain the mainstay of falciparum malaria diagnosis in Sub-Saharan Africa. Understanding their test characteristics when used for surveillance in asymptomatic populations is important. Jonathan Juliano, MD, MSPH, Jonathan B. Parr, MD, MPH, Jessica Lin, MD, MSCR, explored the rate of false-positive and false-negative mRDT results … Read more The applied nature of the Infectious Disease Epidemiology Ecology Lab (IDEEL), at the Institute for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, has a direct impact on the health and well-being of millions of individuals around the globe, while also having an immediate effect on health policies at all levels. Jessica Lin, MD, MSCR, calls it science … Read more
ID STEP Grant Award Will Build North Carolina’s Pipeline of Infectious Disease Specialists
From Toronto to Tigray: IDEEL Investigators Advance Global Conversation on Malaria Control Amid Rising Challenges
Assessment of Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests among Asymptomatic Children and Adults in Bagamoyo
IDEEL Lab Student Applies Public Health Learnings to Pediatric Care in the DRC
Education
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Undergraduate
Yale University
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Medical School
Baylor College of Medicine
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Residency
University of California San Diego
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Fellowship
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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MSCR
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill., Gillings School of Global Public Health