Instructor

Department of Environmental, Agricultural, and Occupational Health
University of Nebraska Medical Center
College of Public Health

Professional Summary

• 2019 – present: Instructor, Department of Environmental, Agricultural, and Occupational Health, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center
• 2017 – 2019: Instructor, US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (contracted through University of Nebraska Medical Center)
• 2016: Ebola laboratory team lead, Public Health England, Sierra Leone
• 2009 – 2015: Senior Research Scientist, Public Health England, UK
• 2006 – 2009: Research Scientist, Public Health England, UK

Education

• 2015: MSc Immunology and Immunogenetics, The University of Manchester, UK
• 2006: MBiol (hons) Biology, University of Bath, UK

Research Interests

• Research interests include emerging infectious diseases, pathogen discovery and laboratory capacity building. Specifically, the provision of training and technology to implement next generation sequencing capability in low-resource environments, aiding research and surveillance of pathogens of global consequence. The characterization and phylogenetic analysis of novel, emerging and divergent pathogens using next generation sequencing informs diagnostics and improves population health.

Selected Publications

• Haston JC, Rostad CA, Jerris RC, Milla SS, McCracken C, Pratt C, Wiley M, Prieto K, Palacios G, Shane AL, McElroy AK. Prospective Cohort Study of Next-Generation Sequencing as a Diagnostic Modality for Unexplained Encephalitis in Children. J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc. 2020 Jul 13;9(3):326-333. doi: 10.1093/jpids/piz032. PubMed PMID: 31107955.
• Wiley MR, Fakoli L, Letizia AG, Welch SR, Ladner JT, Prieto K, Reyes D, Espy N, Chitty JA, Pratt CB, Di Paola N, Taweh F, Williams D, Saindon J, Davis WG, Patel K, Holland M, Negrón D, Ströher U, Nichol ST, Sozhamannan S, Rollin PE, Dogba J, Nyenswah T, Bolay F, Albariño CG, Fallah M, Palacios G. Lassa virus circulating in Liberia: a retrospective genomic characterisation.Lancet Infect Dis. 2019 Dec;19(12):1371-1378. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(19)30486-4. Epub 2019 Oct 3. PubMed PMID: 31588039.
• Mbala-Kingebeni P*, Pratt CB*, Wiley MR*, Diagne MM*, Makiala-Mandanda S, Aziza A, Di Paola N, Chitty JA, Diop M, Ayouba A, Vidal N, Faye O, Faye O, Karhemere S, Aruna A, Nsio J, Mulangu F, Mukadi D, Mukadi P, Kombe J, Mulumba A, Duraffour S, Likofata J, Pukuta E, Caviness K, Bartlett ML, Gonzalez J, Minogue T, Sozhamannan S, Gross SM, Schroth GP, Kuhn JH, Donaldson EF, Delaporte E, Sanchez-Lockhart M, Peeters M, Muyembe-Tamfum JJ, Alpha Sall A, Palacios G, Ahuka-Mundeke S. 2018 Ebola virus disease outbreak in Équateur Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo: a retrospective genomic characterisation. Lancet Infect Dis. 2019 Jun;19(6):641-647. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(19)30124-0. Epub 2019 Apr 15. PubMed PMID: 31000465.
• Mbala-Kingebeni P*, Aziza A*, Di Paola N*, Wiley MR*, Makiala-Mandanda S, Caviness K, Pratt CB, Ladner JT, Kugelman JR, Prieto K, Chitty JA, Larson PA, Beitzel B, Ayouba A, Vidal N, Karhemere S, Diop M, Diagne MM, Faye M, Faye O, Aruna A, Nsio J, Mulangu F, Mukadi D, Mukadi P, Kombe J, Mulumba A, Villabona-Arenas CJ, Pukuta E, Gonzalez J, Bartlett ML, Sozhamannan S, Gross SM, Schroth GP, Tim R, Zhao JJ, Kuhn JH, Diallo B, Yao M, Fall IS, Ndjoloko B, Mossoko M, Lacroix A, Delaporte E, Sanchez-Lockhart M, Sall AA, Muyembe-Tamfum JJ, Peeters M, Palacios G, Ahuka-Mundeke S. Medical countermeasures during the 2018 Ebola virus disease outbreak in the North Kivu and Ituri Provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo: a rapid genomic assessment. Lancet Infect Dis. 2019 Jun;19(6):648-657. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(19)30118-5. Epub 2019 Apr 15. PubMed PMID: 31000464.
• Faye O*, Pratt CB*, Faye M*, Fall G, Chitty JA, Diagne MM, Wiley MR, Yinka-Ogunleye AF, Aruna S, Etebu EN, Aworabhi N, Ogoina D, Numbere W, Mba N, Palacios G, Sall AA, Ihekweazu C. Genomic characterisation of human monkeypox virus in Nigeria. Lancet Infect Dis. 2018 Mar;18(3):246. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(18)30043-4. Epub 2018 Jan 18. PubMed PMID: 29361427.
• Vaughan TE, Pratt CB, Sealey K, Preston A, Fry NK, Gorringe AR. Plasticity of fimbrial genotype and serotype within populations of Bordetella pertussis: analysis by paired flow cytometry and genome sequencing. 2014 Sep;160(Pt 9):2030-2044. doi: 10.1099/mic.0.079251-0. Epub 2014 Jul 15. PubMed PMID: 25028460.
• de Gouw D, de Jonge MI, Hermans PW, Wessels HJ, Zomer A, Berends A, Pratt C, Berbers GA, Mooi FR, Diavatopoulos DA. Proteomics-identified Bvg-activated autotransporters protect against Bordetella pertussis in a mouse model. PLoS One. 2014;9(8):e105011. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0105011. eCollection 2014. PubMed PMID: 25133400; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4136822.
• Hallander H, Advani A, Alexander F, Gustafsson L, Ljungman M, Pratt C, Hall I, Gorringe AR. Antibody responses to Bordetella pertussis Fim2 or Fim3 following immunization with a whole-cell, two-component, or five-component acellular pertussis vaccine and following pertussis disease in children in Sweden in 1997 and 2007. Clin Vaccine Immunol. 2014 Feb;21(2):165-73. doi: 10.1128/CVI.00641-13. Epub 2013 Dec 4. PubMed PMID: 24307240; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3910934.
• Evans CM, Pratt CB, Matheson M, Vaughan TE, Findlow J, Borrow R, Gorringe AR, Read RC. Nasopharyngeal colonization by Neisseria lactamica and induction of protective immunity against Neisseria meningitidis. Clin Infect Dis. 2011 Jan 1;52(1):70-7. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciq065. PubMed PMID: 21148522.
• Finney M, Vaughan T, Taylor S, Hudson MJ, Pratt C, Wheeler JX, Vipond C, Feavers I, Jones C, Findlow J, Borrow R, Gorringe A. Characterization of the key antigenic components and pre-clinical immune responses to a meningococcal disease vaccine based on Neisseria lactamica outer membrane vesicles. Hum Vaccin. 2008 Jan-Feb;4(1):23-30. doi: 10.4161/hv.4.1.4806. Epub 2007 Jul 29. PubMed PMID: 17921703.

Professional Affiliations

• American Public Health Association
• UK Faculty of Public Health