Seema Lakdawala
Bio
Dr. Lakdawala (lock-da-wall-a) trained as a molecular virologist at the Salk Institute in San Diego, CA and at the NIH in 2009 began studying airborne transmission of emerging influenza viruses. During this time she made important discoveries regarding the presence of influenza viruses in aerosols of varying sizes, and the defined the soft palate as an important site for viral adaptation and transmission. Dr. Lakdawala started an independent laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine in 2015 studying influenza virus transmission, pathogenesis, and assembly across scales; she moved her research program to Emory University in August of 2022.
The Lakdawala Lab uses sophisticated microscopy and biochemistry to examine viral replication within infected cells, animal models to study barriers to airborne transmission of influenza viruses, and environmental engineering to examine persistence of viruses in the air. During the COVID-19 pandemic they began examining the importance of public health interventions across communities, resulting in an interactive dashboard, www.PHIGHTCOVID.org, to inform policy makers nationwide. Their research has been featured in the popular press numerous times. In addition, during the pandemic, Dr. Lakdawala has given over 40 interviews on the transmission of respiratory viruses to a variety of news outlets. Notable honors for Dr. Lakdawala include the 2020 ASV Ann Palmenberg Junior Investigator Award, Organizing committee for the National Academies of Sciences workshop on SARS-CoV-2 Airborne Transmission in Aug of 2020, and a 2024 National Academies of Sciences Kavli Fellow. In 2023, Dr. Lakdawala helped establish the Emory Center for Transmission of Airborne Pathogens (Emory C-TAP) and is a co-director.
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