Dr. Ciota is the Director of the Arbovirus Laboratory, which performs surveillance, clinical testing, and research of arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses). The lab studies both mosquito and tick-borne agents including the flaviviruses West Nile virus, Zika virus, dengue virus, and Powassan virus, as well as alphaviruses, orthobunyaviruses, and thogotoviruses, among others. The unique facilities which comprise the Arbovirus lab allow for extensive experimentation in a range of natural invertebrate and vertebrate hosts. Dr. Ciota’s primary research areas include arbovirus evolution, vector-virus interactions, and the influence of climate change on virus transmission.

Specific studies include understanding arbovirus microevolution both within and among hosts and vectors, defining how specific interactions between viral and vector genomes influence transmissibility in distinct environments, defining the role of the viral replicase in viral fitness and evolution, and identifying how unique microbial signatures influence vectorial capacity. The overarching goal of these studies is to gain a better understanding of the factors that shape patterns of arbovirus transmission and ultimately to influence public health interventions in New York State and beyond.