Rachel Abbott

I am an Extension Associate in the Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Science at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, working in the Wildlife Health Laboratory. Prior to moving to Ithaca, I worked at the USGS National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, WI where I was involved in research to develop oral wildlife vaccines to prevent plague in prairie dogs and white-nose syndrome in bats. I gained experience in captive animal studies, field work, laboratory assays, data management and analysis, and regulatory issues pertaining to wildlife vaccines. I am interested in zoonotic diseases and the interactions of wildlife, domestic animals, and humans.

I hold a BA in mathematics, MS in epidemiology, and a DVM.

Select Publications

2019

Virally-vectored vaccine candidates against white-nose syndrome induce anti-fungal immune response in little brown bats (Myotis lucifugus). . Rocke TE, Kingstad-Bakke B, Wuthrich M, Stading B, Abbott RC, Isidoro-Ayza M, Dobson HE, dos Santos Dias L, Galles K, Lankton JS, Falendysz EA, Lorch JM, Fites JS, Lopera-Madrid J, White JP, Klein B, Osorio JE . Scientific Reports

Rabies outbreak in captive big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) used in a white-nose syndrome vaccine trial. . Abbott RC, Saindon L, Falendysz EA, Greenberg L, Orciari L, Satheshkumar PS, Rocke TE . Journal of Wildlife Diseases

2018

Factors influencing uptake of sylvatic plague vaccine baits by prairie dogs. . Abbott RC, Russell RE, Richgels KLD, Tripp DW , Matchett MR, Biggins DE, Rocke TE . EcoHealth

2017

Sylvatic plague vaccine partially protects prairie dogs (Cynomys spp.) in field trials. . Rocke TE, Tripp DW, Russell RE , Abbott RC, Richgels KLD, Matchett MR, Biggins DE , Griebel R, Schroeder G, Grassel SM, Pipkin DR, Cordova J , Kavalunas A, Maxfield B, Boulerice J, Miller MW . EcoHealth