Chad J. Roy, Ph.D., M.S.P.H
TuCAiTS News & Events
News
Tulane Researcher, Chad Roy, Weighs In on Flu Superspreaders in BBC Feature
A Tulane School of Medicine professor, Dr. Chad Roy, was featured in a recent BBC article examining why a small number of people—known as “superspreaders”—played an outsized role in spreading flu and other respiratory viruses. The article highlighted Tulane-led research showing that factors such as stage of illness, breathing patterns, body composition, speech habits, and lung physiology significantly influenced how many infectious particles an individual released into the air. These findings helped shed light on how respiratory viruses spread and pointed toward potential strategies for reducing transmission during flu season and future outbreaks.Read full BBC article
General Recognition
Chad Roy, MSPH, PhD Spotlighted at Tulane Innovation Institute
Dr. Chad Roy, Vice Chair for Research in the John W. Deming Department of Medicine, was recently featured by the Tulane Innovation Institute for his groundbreaking research and entrepreneurial achievements. In addition to leading multi-million-dollar NIH-funded studies on infectious diseases, Dr. Roy founded Bio Protectant Technologies Inc., a Tulane spinout developing next-generation antimicrobial solutions. His work exemplifies the innovation and impact driving Tulane’s research mission. Read the full story.
General Recognition
Tulane Researchers Showcase AI-Driven Airborne Transmission Research at AI Demystifying Symposium
Sarah Bose, Laboratory Manager at the Tulane Center for Airborne Infection & Transmission Science (TUCAiTS) and Tulane National Biomedical Research Center, recently presented a poster at the Tulane AI Demystifying Symposium highlighting an ongoing internal research project: the AI-Driven Real-Time Airborne Transmission Index (Θ Engine).This project focuses on Θ (Theta), a novel AI-driven transmissibility index designed to provide real-time, location-specific risk assessments for airborne pathogens. By integrating empirical data, synthetic outbreak simulations, and machine learning techniques, Θ models transmission dynamics across a range of environmental, behavioral, and biological scenarios.As an MSPH student in Biostatistics, Sarah was selected to present on the application of AI in infectious disease modeling, aligning with the symposium’s goal of showcasing innovative AI applications in medicine and public health. This opportunity provides a prominent platform to highlight…
General Recognition
Tammy Naramore Makes 20 Years of Service at Tulane
It is with great pleasure that we recognize and celebrate Tammy Naramore on her remarkable 20-year anniversary with Tulane University.Tammy currently serves as the Senior Research Administrator for the Tulane University Center for Airborne Infection and Transmission Science (TUCAiTS) Over the past two decades, Tammy’s dedication, expertise, and unwavering commitment have made a lasting impact on our teams and the university community. Please join us in congratulating Tammy on this incredible milestone and thanking her for her outstanding service!
New Role/Position, Major Accomplishment
Venicia L. Stewart Joins Tulane’s Emerging Leaders Program
Venicia L. Stewart, Program Manager for the Tulane University Center for Airborne Infection and Transmission Science (TUCAiTS) has been accepted into Tulane University’s Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) for the 2025–2026 cohort.Venicia has continuously demonstrated exceptional dedication, professionalism, and a true commitment to Tulane’s mission through her support of our research team, recruitment efforts, and daily operations. Her drive to grow as a leader and invest in her own development reflects her belief in creating an environment where others can succeed and thrive.The Emerging Leaders Program is designed to strengthen leadership skills, build community across the university, and prepare participants to lead with purpose and vision. We are confident Venicia will bring her trademark energy, thoughtfulness, and collaborative spirit to this program making the most of this opportunity and bring valuable insights back to our team and the broader Tulane community.
General Recognition, Major Accomplishment
Postdoctoral Fellow Chinmaya Mutalik Selected to Present at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Fall Meeting
Chinmaya Mutalik, Postdoctoral Fellow at the Tulane Center for Airborne Infection and Transmission Science (TUCAiTS), has been selected to present his poster in the Division of Analytical Chemistry (ANYL) following a competitive, peer-reviewed abstract process. His research focuses on innovative spectroscopic and bioaerosol-based approaches for breath analysis and tuberculosis detection, aligning with the meeting’s emphasis on advancing analytical and diagnostic technologies.The ACS Fall Meeting is one of the world’s largest and most prestigious conferences in the chemical sciences, bringing together thousands of researchers from academia, industry, and government to highlight groundbreaking advancements in chemistry, biology, materials science, and biomedical engineering.This recognition provides an important platform to showcase Tulane University’s cutting-edge research on a global stage and foster collaboration with leading scientists worldwide.Dr. Mutalik’s selection is a…
Grant
Dr. Harriet Hammond Receives 2025 TNBRC Career Enhancement Grant
Dr. Harriet Hammond, PhD, has been awarded a 2025 TNBRC Career Enhancement Grant for her project titled "Enhancing Nonhuman Primate Research Through AI and Bioinformatics-Based Omics Profiling of Bacillus anthracis Exposure." This grant supports her ongoing work in advancing research methodologies through the integration of AI and omics technologies.
Award
Harriet Hammond, PhD, receives Intelligence Community Postdoctoral Research Fellowship
Dr. Harriet Hammond has been selected to receive a prestigious Intelligence Community (IC) Postdoctoral Research Fellowship through the Tulane University School of Medicine’s Center for Airborne Infection and Transmission Science (TUCAiTS). Dr. Hammond’s research proposal, "Leveraging AI and Multi-Omics Data to Investigate the Toxicity and Mechanisms of Action of Airborne Palytoxins in Cellular and Animal Models" (ICPD-2025-30), was chosen for its scientific excellence, innovation, and potential to significantly impact public health and national intelligence efforts. Working under the mentorship of her Research Advisor, Dr. Chad J. Roy, and in coordination with an advisor from the Intelligence Community, Dr. Hammond is expected to begin her fellowship on September 30, 2025. Her work will advance TUCAiTS’ mission of addressing urgent questions related to airborne toxins and infectious agents through groundbreaking interdisciplinary research. This achievement reflects Dr…
