Andrea Swei
Assistant Professor, San Francisco State University

Dr. Swei studies the ecology and pathogenesis of tick-borne diseases and how biotic and abiotic changes impact the distribution and dynamics of zoonotic diseases like Lyme disease, caused by Borrelia burgdorferi. Utilizing a range of field, molecular, and genomic approaches, Dr. Swei is investigating how genetic variation influences the virulence and spatial distribution of zoonotic pathogens.  Because different B. burgdorferi genotypes can lead to different disease symptoms and severity, Dr. Swei’s research seeks to better understand how these genotypes are transmitted and maintained in natural tick populations. The ultimate goal of Dr. Swei’s research is to better understand the factors that lead to the distribution and risk of important tick-borne diseases to human populations.  Dr. Swei earned her B.A. and Ph.D. from University of California, Berkeley and is currently an Assistant Professor at San Francisco State University.