I am the Research Support Specialist for Cornell Wildlife Health Lab, where I coordinate clinical and research specimen submissions and manage the data associated with them. Before this, I was a Wildlife Technician for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, monitoring protected species with a focus on herpetofauna such as bog turtles and timber rattlesnakes. I hold a BS in Conservation Biology from the College of Environmental Science and Forestry, as well as a graduate certificate in Wildlife Forensic Sciences from the University of Florida. With diverse experience in the veterinary field, including advocating for and teaching good husbandry of exotic animals, I am especially focused on the intersection between the illicit pet trade and native wildlife, particularly as it pertains to health.
Melissa Fadden
Select Publications
2023
Infection, tissue distribution and phylogenetic analysis of Highly Pathogenic 2Avian Influenza A type H5N1 (clade 2.3.4.4b) in Wild Red Fox kits (Vulpes vulpes). .
Cronk, B.D., L.C. Caserta, M. Laverack, R.S. Gerdes, K. Hynes, C.R. Hopf, M.A. Fadden, S. Nakagun, K.L. Schuler, E.L. Buckles, M. Lejeune, and D.G. Diel. .
Emerging Infectious Diseases
2019
A novel orthoreovirus associated with epizootic necrotizing enteritis and splenic necrosis in American crows (Corvus brachyrhynchos .
Maria J. Forzan, Randall W. Renshaw, Elizabeth M. Bunting, Elizabeth Buckles, Joseph Okoniewski, Kevin Hynes, Richalice Melendez, Ashley Ableman, Melissa Laverack, Melissa Fadden, Akbar Dastjerdi, Krysten Schuler, Edward J. Dubovi .
Journal of Wildlife Diseases
2018
Grazing for Bog Turtle (Glyptemys muhlenbergii) habitat management: case study of a New York Fen. .
5. Travis, K.B., E. Kiviat, J. Tesauro, L. Stickle, M. Fadden, V. Steckler, and L. Lukas. .
Herpetological Conservation and Biology
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Projects
Active Projects
Porcupine Health and Adenoviruses
Looking into the emerging infections of adenovirus in North American porcupines
Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease
Conducting surveillance for EHD virus in New York and surrounding states, with the goal of characterizing the prevalence of the virus, the degree of developing immunity among white-tailed deer, and the spatiotemporal dynamics of serotype distribution.
Waterfowl Contaminant Study
Measuring chemical contaminant loads in waterfowl to assess the health of waterfowl and the potential impact on hunters who consume them.
Ranavirus Environmental RNA (eRNA)
Exploring the potential of environmental RNA (eRNA) for ranavirus surveillance...