Team

Rosser Laboratory

Principal Investigator

Joelle Rosser, MD, MS, DTM&H


Dr. Rosser received her MD from Emory University, MS in Epidemiology and Clinical Research at Stanford, and Diploma in Clinical Tropical Medicine through the Gorgas Course in Lima, Peru. She trained in Internal Medicine at University of Washington and Infectious Diseases at Stanford University. Her research centers around understanding and mitigating the impacts of environmental change on infectious diseases. When she’s not in the lab or the field, you’ll find her hiking, biking, or paddling in the mountains. 

Laboratory Manager

Kavita Coombe, MPH


Kavita received her Masters in Public Health Leadership from the University of North Carolina with a focus on Epidemiology. She has worked on public health projects and clinical research in Tanzania, Ethiopia, Nigeria, India, and the United States. She founded Soil&Water, an urban garden program that empowers people to grow their own food.  Kavita is passionate about the impacts of climate change on human disease and specifically how soil affects our food and health. In her free time, she loves spending time with her two children, traveling, hiking, and gardening.

United States Based Laboratory Members

Zahra Fazal


Zahra is graduate student and Knight-Hennessy scholar at Stanford University. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Epidemiology. Her interests are at the intersection of infectious diseases and social epidemiology with a specific focus on community-based health equity research. Zahra grew up in Tanzania and has spent several years working with people with albinism, a population facing social stigma and numerous health disparities. She is currently leading a study to improve vaccine access for people with albinism. Zahra enjoys spending her time crocheting, making pottery, bouldering, and cooking.


Morgan Tarpenning


Morgan is an undergraduate at Stanford majoring in Human Environmental Systems with a minor in Global Health. In the Rosser Lab, she has been a part of the Drones and Dengue project, working both on the Stanford campus and on-site in Kenya. Morgan is passionate about climate change and human health, with a specific interest in urban heat, infectious disease, and environmental justice. Outside of the lab, Morgan works as an EMT on campus and loves to be outdoors.

Katie Woo


Katie is a Stanford student studying biostatistics and communication. She is broadly interested in infectious disease epidemiology, vector-borne diseases, drug development, and public health messaging. In her free time, she enjoys reading Ada Limón, trying various espresso drinks, and spending time in the sun. 

Riya Goel


Riya is a medical student at Emory University with an interest in women's health and climate change as it relates to the social determinants of health. Prior to medical school, she attended the University of Southern California and received a B.S. in Human Biology and worked on clinical trials related to infectious disease at Stanford during her gap year. Despite taking the next steps of moving across the country to attend medical school, Riya remains active with the lab and committed to working on research and advocacy related to climate change and health justice. 

Juliet Bramante 


Juliet is a medical student at the University of Washington. She is interested in infectious diseases, dermatology, and global health. She also has a passion for art and has applied her visual talents to the drones and dengue project, helping create the trash classification scheme. She is broadly interested in improving health disparities in the U.S. and internationally. When Juliet is not doing research, you can likely find her drawing, practicing mixed martial arts, or dogsledding in her home town in Alaska. 

Aron Kishore


Aron is a graduate student at UC Davis working on his Master of Public Health. Aron spent his early childhood growing up in the Fiji Islands. His firsthand experience of health disparities in his home country motivates his current research. Aron is interested in primary care and improving healthcare accessibility and quality globally. Outside of his academic and career pursuits, Aron finds joy in spending quality time with his dog, Leo, a mix of Pomeranian and Morkie, and is dedicated to personal health and fitness. 

Anoushka Tamhane


Anoushka is a high school senior at Basis Independent Silicon Valley interested in interdisciplinary environmental science research. She is particularly interested in novel technologies and the use of machine learning to understand and mitigate the impacts of climate change. Outside of research, Anoushka enjoys working on climate advocacy.

International Based Laboratory Members

Christabel Phiri


Dr. Phiri is a medical doctor at the Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching hospital in Zambia. She is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health at the university of Zambia where she also received her undergraduate degree. She has a Diploma in Tropical medicine and hygiene from the University of Witwatersrand. Her research interest is in infectious diseases and health systems with a particular interest in neglected tropical diseases. She is currently researching leprosy epidemiology and clinical care in northern Zambia. Outside academics, she enjoys reading and listening to poetry and gardening — she especially love succulents!

Nyuma Mbewe


Dr. Mbewe is an Infectious Diseases physician working with the Zambia National Public Health Institute in the Epidemic Preparedness and Response Cluster. With a passion for addressing the complex interplay between climate change and infectious disease epidemiology, Dr. Mbewe is at the forefront of pioneering one health solutions to combat emerging health threats. Her recent work explored the influence of climate change on malaria incidence in Zambia. She is pursuing her doctorate in Infectious Diseases to develop a strategy towards cholera control in light of climate change. In her free time, she is training towards her first half marathon later this year.