Dr. Rebecca Christofferson
Assistant Professor
Pathobiological Sciences (PBS)
(225) 578-9684

Teaching Interests:
Epidemiological methods and statistics

Research Interests:
vector borne disease transmission; experimental and computational approaches

 Awards & Honors:
  • 2018 Zoetis Research Award for Veterinary Research Excellence
  • 2018 TEDxLSU Selected Speaker
 Education:
  • PhD LSU
  • M.Ap.Stat. LSU
  • BS LSU
 Grants:
  • NASA Satellite Data for Mapping and Modeling the Natural Nidality of Vector-Borne Diseases, NASA, $463,468.00
  • Support for arbovirus surveillance efforts in South America, NAMRU-6, $31,500.00
  • Center for Lung Biology and Disease – PIP Core, National Institutes of Health - NIH ,
  • GeoHealth: A surveillance and response system resource for vector borne disease in the Americas, NASA, $600,000.00
  • Characterization of temperature-driven heterogeneity in mosquito populations, the mosquito-arbovirus interaction and subsequent effects on transmission, NIGMS/NIH, $1,019,864.00
  • BHEARD Program - Rwanda, USAID, $211,776.00
  • GeoHealth: A surveillance and response system resource for vector borne disease in the Americas, LSU International Programs: LSU International Conference/symposium Grant, $6,000.00
  • DHH - Zika Response Planning, Louisiana Department of Health,
 Publications:
Journal Article, Academic Journal:
  • Spotted fever group Rickettsia infection and transmission dynamics in Amblyomma maculatum, Suwanbongkot, C; Langohr, Ingeborg; Harris, E; Dittmar, W; Christofferson, Rebecca; Macaluso, Kevin, 2019, Infection and immunity
  • Examining the Potential for South American Arboviruses to Spread Beyond the New World, Pena-Garcia, Victor; McCracken, Michael; Christofferson, Rebecca, 2017, Current Clinical Microbiology Reports , Volume: 4, Number: 4, Pages: 208-217https://doi.org/10.1007/s40588-017-0076-4
  • Tissue tropisms, infection kinetics, histologic lesions, and antibody response of the MR766 strain of Zika virus in a murine model, Kawiecki, Anna; Mayton, E.; Dutuze, M.; Goupil, Brad; Langohr, Ingeborg; Del Piero, Fabio; Christofferson, Rebecca, 2017, Virology Journal , Volume: 14, Number: 1
  • Bridging the Gap Between Experimental Data and Model Parameterization for Chikungunya Virus Transmission Predictions., Christofferson, Rebecca; Mores, Christopher; Wearing, H, 2016, The Journal of infectious diseases , Volume: 214, Number: suppl 5, Pages: S466-S470
  • Pokémon Go and Exposure to Mosquito-Borne Diseases: How Not to Catch 'Em All., Oidtman, R; Christofferson, Rebecca; Ten Bosch, Q; Espana, G; Kraemer, M; Tatem, A; Barker, C; Perkins, T, 2016, PLoS currents , Volume: 8
  • Zika Virus-Induced Antibody Response Enhances Dengue Virus Serotype 2 Replication In Vitro., Kawiecki, A; Christofferson, Rebecca, 2016, The Journal of infectious diseases , Volume: 214, Number: 9, Pages: 1357-1360
  • Modeling Mosquito-Borne Disease Spread in U.S. Urbanized Areas: The Case of Dengue in Miami., Robert, Michael; Christofferson, Rebecca; Silva, Noah; Vasquez, Chalmers; Mores, Christopher; Wearing, Helen, 2016, PLoS ONE
  • Zika Virus Emergence and Expansion: Lessons Learned from Dengue and Chikungunya May Not Provide All the Answers., Christofferson, Rebecca, 2016, The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene , Volume: 95, Number: 1, Pages: 15-8
  • Utility of a Dengue-Derived Monoclonal Antibody to Enhance Zika Infection In Vitro., Charles, A; Christofferson, Rebecca, 2016, PLoS currents , Volume: 8
  • Dengue and chikungunya: modelling the expansion of mosquito-borne viruses into naïve populations., Wearing, H; Robert, M; Christofferson, Rebecca, 2016, Parasitology , Pages: 1-14
  • Short Report: Serological Evidence of Under-Reported Dengue Circulation in Sierra Leone., de Araújo Lobo, J; Mores, Christopher; Bausch, D; Christofferson, Rebecca, 2016, PLoS neglected tropical diseases , Volume: 10, Number: 4, Pages: e0004613
  • Novel Lesions of Bones and Joints Associated with Chikungunya Virus Infection in Two Mouse Models of Disease: New Insights into Disease Pathogenesis., Goupil, B; McNulty, Margaret; Martin, M; McCracken, M; Christofferson, Rebecca; Mores, Christopher, 2016, PloS one , Volume: 11, Number: 5, Pages: e0155243
  • Potential for Extrinsic Incubation Temperature to Alter Interplay Between Transmission Potential and Mortality of Dengue-Infected Aedes aegypti., Christofferson, Rebecca; Mores, Christopher, 2016, Environmental health insights , Volume: 10, Pages: 119-23
  • Aedes aegypti anti-salivary gland antibody concentration and dengue virus exposure history in healthy individuals living in an endemic area in Colombia., Londoño-Rentería, B; Cárdenas, J; Giovanni, J; Cárdenas, L; Villamizar, P; Rolón, J; Chisenhall, D; Christofferson, Rebecca; Carvajal, D; Pérez, O; Wesson, D; Mores, Christopher, 2015, Biomedica : revista del Instituto Nacional de Salud , Volume: 35, Number: 4, Pages: 572-81
  • A role for vector control in dengue vaccine programs, Christofferson, Rebecca; Mores, Christopher, 2015, Vaccine
  • Co-feeding intra- and interspecific transmission of an emerging insect-borne rickettsial pathogen., Brown, L; Christofferson, Rebecca; Banajee, K; Del Piero, Fabio; Foil, L; Macaluso, Kevin, 2015, Molecular ecology
  • Aedes aegypti salivary protein "aegyptin" co-inoculation modulates dengue virus infection in the vertebrate host., McCracken, M; Christofferson, Rebecca; Grasperge, Britton; Calvo, E; Chisenhall, D; Mores, Christopher, 2014, Virology , Volume: 468-470, Pages: 133-9
  • Characterizing the likelihood of dengue emergence and detection in naïve populations., Christofferson, Rebecca; Mores, Christopher; Wearing, H, 2014, Parasites & vectors , Volume: 7, Pages: 282
  • The role of the mosquito in a dengue human infection model., Mores, Christopher; Christofferson, Rebecca; Davidson, S, 2014, The Journal of infectious diseases , Volume: 209 Suppl 2, Pages: S71-8
  • Infection with dengue-2 virus alters proteins in naturally expectorated saliva of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes., Chisenhall, D; Christofferson, Rebecca; McCracken, M; Johnson, A; Londono-Renteria, B; Mores, Christopher, 2014, Parasites & vectors , Volume: 7, Pages: 252
  • Towards an early warning system for forecasting human west nile virus incidence., Manore, C; Davis, J; Christofferson, Rebecca; Wesson, D; Hyman, J; Mores, Christopher, 2014, PLoS currents , Volume: 6
  • Towards an early warning system for forecasting human west nile virus incidence., Manore, C; Davis, J; Christofferson, Rebecca; Wesson, D; Hyman, J; Mores, Christopher, 2014, PLoS currents , Volume: 6
  • Effect of dengue-2 virus infection on protein expression in the salivary glands of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes., Chisenhall, D; Londono, B; Christofferson, Rebecca; McCracken, M; Mores, Christopher, 2014, The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene , Volume: 90, Number: 3, Pages: 431-7
  • Analysis of early dengue virus infection in mice as modulated by Aedes aegypti probing., McCracken, M; Christofferson, Rebecca; Chisenhall, D; Mores, Christopher, 2014, Journal of virology , Volume: 88, Number: 4, Pages: 1881-9
  • Chikungunya viral fitness measures within the vector and subsequent transmission potential., Christofferson, Rebecca; Chisenhall, D; Wearing, H; Mores, Christopher, 2014, PloS one , Volume: 9, Number: 10, Pages: e110538
  • Investigations of Koutango Virus Infectivity and Dissemination Dynamics in Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes., de Araújo Lobo, J; Christofferson, Rebecca; Mores, Christopher, 2014, Environmental health insights , Volume: 8, Number: Suppl 2, Pages: 9-13
  • Development of a transmission model for dengue virus., Christofferson, Rebecca; McCracken, M; Johnson, A; Chisenhall, D; Mores, Christopher, 2013, Virology journal , Volume: 10, Pages: 127
  • Estimating the magnitude and direction of altered arbovirus transmission due to viral phenotype., Christofferson, Rebecca; Mores, Christopher, 2011, PloS one , Volume: 6, Number: 1, Pages: e16298
  • Factors associated with mosquito pool positivity and the characterization of the West Nile viruses found within Louisiana during 2007., Christofferson, Rebecca; Roy, Alma; Mores, Christopher, 2010, Virology journal , Volume: 7, Pages: 139
Other:
  • A Reevaluation of the Role of Aedes albopictus in Dengue Transmission., Christofferson, Rebecca, 2015