October 2021

Meredith Kernbach, Ph.D.

Curriculum vitae

College of Marine Science Phone: (703) 470-5997

University of South Florida, St. Petersburg Email: Kernbach@mail.usf.edu
140 7th Avenue South https://meredithkernbach.weebly.com/
St. Petersburg, FL 33701 @MeKernbach

Formal Education
2016 – 2021 University of South Florida
Ph.D., Global Communicable Diseases, College of Public Health (2018 – 2021);
Integrative Biology, College of Arts and Sciences (2016 – 2018).
Primary Advisor: Dr. Lynn B. Martin.

2012 – 2016 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

B.S., Biological Sciences; Minor, Chemistry.
Research Advisors: Dr. Ignacio T. Moore and Dr. Caroline Leeth.

Professional Appointments
2021 - current Postdoctoral Scholar – Dr. Mya Breitbart, University of South Florida, St. Pete

Publications * denotes undergraduate student mentee

Referred journal articles

9. Kernbach, M.E., Miller, C., Alaasam, V., Ferguson, S., Francis, C.D. (2021) Introduction to the
Symposium: Effects of Light Pollution Across Diverse Natural Systems, Integrative and
Comparative Biology, icab157.

8. Alaasam, V. J., Kernbach, M.E., Miller, C.R., Ferguson, S.M. (2021) The Diversity of
Photosensitivity and its Implications for Light Pollution, Integrative and Comparative Biology,
icab156.

7. Kernbach, M.E., Martin, L.B., Unnasch, T.R., Hall, R.J., Jiang, R.H.Y., Francis, C.D. (2021)
Light pollution affects West Nile virus exposure risk across Florida. Proc R Soc B Biol Sci.
288:20210253.

6. Kernbach, M.E., Cassone, V., Unnasch, T.R., Martin, L.B. (2020) Broad-spectrum light
pollution suppresses melatonin and increases West Nile virus-induced mortality in House
Sparrows. The Condor, duaa018.

5. Martin, L.B., Kernbach, M.E., Unnasch, T.R. (2019) Distinct effects of acute versus chronic
corticosterone exposure on zebra finch competence for West Nile virus. Conserv Physiol, 7(1)
coz094.
 October 2021

4. Kernbach, M.E., Newhouse, D.J., *Miller, J.M., Hall, R.J., Gibbons, J., Oberstaller, J.,
Selechnik, D., Jiang, R.H.Y., Unnasch, T.R., Balakrishnan, C., Martin, L.B. (2019) Light Pollution
Increases West Nile Virus Competence in a Ubiquitous Passerine Reservoir Species. Proc R
Soc B Biol Sci, 286(1907) 20191051.

3. Kernbach, M.E., Hall, R.J., Burkett-Cadena, N.D., Unnasch, T.R., Martin, L.B. (2018). Dim
light at night: physiological effects and ecological consequences for infectious disease.
Integrative and Comparative Biology, 58(5) 995-1007.

2. Kernbach, M.E., Ramsay, C., Rohr, J.R., Martin, L.B. (2018) Eco-Immunology: Past, Present,
and Future. Encyclopedia of Ecology (Elsevier), 64-71.

1. Schoenle, L.A., Kernbach, M.E., Haussmann, M.F., Bonier, F., Moore, I.T. (2017) An
experimental test of the physiological consequences of avian malaria infection. Journal of
Animal Ecology, 86(6) 1483-1496.

Submitted, in review/revision, or in prep

1. Martin, L.B., Kernbach, M.E., *Koller, K., Unnasch, T.R. (In Submission) The effects of host
corticosterone level on vector extrinsic incubation period of West Nile virus.

Grants-in-aid of Research
2020 American Ornithological Society Belitz Grant-in-aid of Research ($2,500)
2017 Porter Family Award, Grant-in-aid of Research ($500)
2017 Sigma Xi Award, Grant-in-aid of Research ($1,000)
2016 Porter Family Award, Grant-in-aid of Research ($500)

Travel and Meeting Grants

2020 Company of Biologists Scientific Meeting Grant (£3,000)
2020 USF SHARP Conference Travel Award ($1,500)
2019 Delta Omega Conference Presentation Award ($350)
2019 USF College of Public Health Best Student Poster Award ($500)
2019 American Ornithological Society Conference Travel Award ($750)
2019 USF SHARP Conference Travel Award ($1,500)
2018 Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Charlotte Mangum Award ($100)
2018 USF Graduate School International Travel Award ($1,000)
2018 Integrative Biology Student Travel Award ($500)

Awards and Honors

2020 Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology Division of Ecoimmunology and
Disease Ecology Best Student Presentation Selected Competitor
2019 American Public Health Association Delta Omega Student Poster Presentation
Selected Competitor
2019 USF Health Research Day Best Student Poster Presentation
 October 2021

2019 USF Inaugural Global Health, Diplomacy and National Security Symposium
Selected Competitor

Conference Presentations ‡ denotes honors by session selection or award for presentation; †

denotes symposium as lead organizer

Poster Presentations
10. ‡ME Kernbach, TR Unnasch, CD Francis, LB Martin. (2019) Effects of Spectral Composition
of Nighttime Lighting on Host Competence to West Nile Virus in a Passerine Reservoir.
Delta Omega Student Poster Competition, American Public Health Association,
Philadelphia, PA.

9. ME Kernbach, V Cassone, LB Martin. (2019) Light Pollution, Melatonin, and West Nile Virus
Competence in House Sparrows. USF Inaugural Global Health, Diplomacy and National
Security Symposium, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL.

8. ME Kernbach, V Cassone, LB Martin. (2019) Light Pollution, Melatonin, and West Nile Virus
Competence in House Sparrows. USF Graduate Research Symposium, Tampa, FL.

7. ‡ME Kernbach, V Cassone, LB Martin. (2019) Light Pollution, Melatonin, and West Nile Virus
Competence in House Sparrows. USF Health Day Research Symposium, Tampa, FL.

6. ME Kernbach, V Cassone, LB Martin. (2019) Light Pollution, Melatonin, and West Nile Virus
Competence in House Sparrows. Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology, Tampa,
FL.

5. ME Kernbach, RJ Hall, TR Unnasch, LB Martin. (2018) Light Pollution Increases Host

Competence to West Nile Virus in a Reservoir Species. Florida Audubon Society, Brandon,
FL.

4. ME Kernbach, DJ Newhouse, *JM Miller, RJ Hall, R Jiang, N Burkett-Cadena, TR Unnasch, C

Balakrishnan, LB Martin. (2018) Light Pollution Increases Host Competence to West Nile
Virus in a Reservoir Species. Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Diseases, Glasgow,
Scotland.

3. ME Kernbach, TR Unnasch, SS Gervasi, LB Martin. (2018) Effects of Acute and Chronic

Stress Exposure on Avian Responses to West Nile Virus. Integrative and Comparative
Biology, San Francisco, CA. 58 E351-E351.

2. ME Kernbach, TR Unnasch, SS Gervasi, LB Martin. (2018) Effects of Acute and Chronic

Stress Exposure on Avian Responses to West Nile Virus. Ecology and Evolution of Infectious
Diseases, Santa Barbara CA.

1. ‡AM Dudek, LA Schoenle, P St John, ME Kernbach, S Gong, A Van Tol, F Bonier, IT Moore.
(2016) Caught in a trap and can't flap out: how do trapping methods and individual condition
influence when a female bird returns to her nest? Integrative and Comparative Biology,
Portland, OR. 56 E280-E280.
 October 2021

Oral Presentations
8. †ME Kernbach, CD Francis, TR Unnasch, LB Martin. (2021) Mechanisms and Mitigation:
Effects of Light Pollution on Host Competence to West Nile Virus. Blinded by the Light:
Effects of Light Pollution Across Diverse Natural Systems, Society for Integrative and
Comparative Biology, [Virtual due to COVID-19].

7. [Cancelled due to COVID-19] ME Kernbach, CD Francis, TR Unnasch, LB Martin. (2020) Light

pollution and West Nile virus: ecological manifestation and potential mitigation. Ecological
Society of America, Salt Lake City, UT.

6. ‡ME Kernbach, CD Francis, TR Unnasch, LB Martin. (2020) Effects of Spectral Composition

of Nighttime Lighting on Host Competence to West Nile Virus in a Passerine Reservoir.
DEDE Best Student Presentation Competition, Society for Integrative and Comparative
Biology, Austin, TX.

5. †ME Kernbach, V Cassone, TR Unnasch, LB Martin. (2019) Effects of Spectral Composition

of Nighttime Lighting on Host Competence to West Nile Virus in a Passerine Reservoir.
American Ornithological Society, Anchorage, AK.

4. ME Kernbach, RJ Hall, TR Unnasch, LB Martin. (2018) Light Pollution Increases Host

Competence to West Nile Virus in a Reservoir Species. Florida Mosquito Control
Association, St. Petersburg, FL.

3. ME Kernbach, DJ Newhouse, JM Miller, RJ Hall, R Jiang, N Burkett-Cadena, TR Unnasch, C

Balakrishnan, LB Martin. (2018) Light Pollution Increases Host Competence to West Nile
Virus in a Reservoir Species. International Ornithological Congress, Vancouver, BC.

2. ME Kernbach, JM Miller, TR Unnasch, LB Martin. (2018) Light Pollution Increases Host

Competence to West Nile Virus in a Reservoir Species. Integrative and Comparative Biology,
San Francisco, CA.

1. LA Schoenle, ME Kernbach, IT Moore, F Bonier. (2017) Why Does Malaria Infection Reduce
Fitness in Wild Birds?: A Test of Physiological Mechanisms. Integrative and Comparative
Biology, New Orleans, LA.

Guest Lectures
2021 – SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Ecoimmunology
Lecture: Effects of Light Pollution on Ecoimmunology and Disease Ecology

Organized Symposia † denotes symposium as lead organizer

2021 †“Blinded by the Light: Effects of Light Pollution Across Diverse Natural Systems”
Organizers: Kernbach, M.E., Ferguson, S., Alaasam, V., Miller, C., Francis, C.D.
Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB) Annual Conference
Washington, DC
January 3-7, 2021
 October 2021

2019 †“A Bright Future for Birds: Understanding the Impacts of Light Pollution on Avian
Wildlife”
Organizers: Kernbach, M.E., Francis, C.D., Martin, L.B.
American Ornithological Society (AOS) Annual Conference
Anchorage, AK
June 24-28, 2019

Specialized Training and Certifications

2021 The Ohio State Viromics Workshop
2019 Florida Department of Health Epidemiology Training Workshop
2018 CITI IRB Human Subjects in Research Certification
2018 USF Microbe Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) Research Certification
2016 CDC Select Agent Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) Facility Research Certification
(Renewed Annually)
2016 Environmental Health and Safety Certification (Renewed Annually)
2015 IACUC Surgical and Aseptic Technique Certification (Renewed Annually)

Mentoring Experience § denotes currently pursuing advanced degree

2021 Taylor Little
2020 Carter Sadowski, Michael Chase
2019 §Bilal Koussayer, Carley Moran, Gabrielle Atkinson, Kelly Campbell, Alexandra
Sauser, §Darrys Reese, Pratiksha Sharma, Angelo Pata, Miranda Solly
2018 §Kyle Koller, Ruhan Gagnani, Mark Walker, §Sarah Guzinski, Doris Latifi,
Nicholas Cropper, Emily Brown, Samantha Schwarz, Aimee Fernandez,
Alexander Pacelko, §Pascale Lubbe
2017 Benjamin Meyer, Natale Maycock
2016 §Jeanette Miller, Virginia Kleiber, Thomas Daniel, Kiley Chernicky

Teaching Experience
2019 - 2021 HSC 4504 Foundations in Public Health Immunology Teaching Assistant
2017 - 2019 HHMI STEM Academy Graduate Mentor and Group Leader

Outreach and Extracurricular Experience

2020 Skype a Scientist Volunteer Speaker
2020 Zoological Lighting Institute Board Member
2019 Taste of Science Sponsorship Chair and Event Volunteer
2018 Pinellas County Family Science Night
2017 Hillsborough County Bioblitz Guide and Avian I.D. Expert
2017 USF Undergraduate Research Colloquium Facilitator
2017 Hillsborough County STEM Science Fair Judge
2017 Florida Master Naturalist Program Newsletter Columnist
 October 2021

Media Coverage
Meketa, T. (2021, March 23) Light pollution drives increased risk of West Nile virus. Retrieved
from https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-03/uosf-lpd032221.php
Brookshire, B. (2021, March 23). Dim lighting may raise the risk of a West Nile virus exposure.
Retrieved from https://www.sciencenews.org/article/west-nile-virus-low-light-pollution-risk-sentinel-
chickens
Childers, J. (2021, February 17). Turn the Lights Down Low. Retrieved from
https://integrativeandcomparativebiology.wordpress.com/sicb-icb-mangum-student-volunteers-sci-comm/
Sansom, P. (2020, August 19). The Inner Lives of Birds. Retrieved from
https://www.thenakedscientists.com/podcasts/naked-genetics
Becker, D. (2020, January 15). SICB 2020: Artificial Light at Night and West Nile Virus in House
Sparrows. Retrieved from https://urbanevolution-litc.com/2020/01/15/sicb-2020-artificial-light-at-night-and-
west-nile-virus-in-house-sparrows/
Rosenberg-Douglas, K. (2019, July 30). West Nile virus could see an uptick in Chicago, a new
study suggests. A culprit that’s saving the city millions could be to blame. Retrieved from
https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/breaking/ct-bright-city-lights-worse-for-west-nile-birds-20190730-
r6k4nxj3hzhsthyqcn57v7o23m-story.html
Whyte, C. (2019, July 24). Light pollution's effects on birds may help to spread West Nile virus.
Retrieved from https://www.newscientist.com/article/2210827-light-pollutions-effects-on-birds-may-help-
to-spread-west-nile-virus/#ixzz6DfJJDhPt
Campisano, D. (2018, July 19). PhD student authors paper on the disease dynamics of light
pollution. Retrieved from https://hscweb3.hsc.usf.edu/health/publichealth/news/phd-student-authors-
paper-on-the-disease-dynamics-of-light-pollution/
Milius, S. (2018, January 19). Light pollution can prolong the risk of sparrows passing along West
Nile virus. Retrieved from https://www.sciencenews.org/article/light-pollution-can-prolong-risk-sparrows-
passing-along-west-nile-virus
Pennisi, E. (2018, January 9). Light pollution may promote the spread of West Nile virus.
Retrieved from https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/01/light-pollution-may-promote-spread-west-
nile-virus
Meade, K. (2017, February 1). Virginia Tech graduate soaring to new heights at University of
South Florida. Collegiate Times. Retrieved from http://www.collegiatetimes.com/lifestyles/virginia-tech-
graduate-soaring-to-new-heights-at-university-of/article_224a236a-e8d0-11e6-903a-2767ea378e06.html

Invited ad-hoc reviewer

2021 Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A, Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
2020 Scientific Reports (Nature), Functional Ecology, Ornitología Neotropical
2019 Journal of Experimental Zoology Part A

Relevant Coursework
2020 Population Assessment II
2019 Population Assessment I, History and Systems of Public Health
2018 Biometry, Disease Surveillance and Monitoring
2017 Statistical Ecology, Disease Biology, The Extended Synthesis
2016 Spillover Animal Infections