Hannah Cunningham

Hannah is a medical student at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, NC (Class of 2021), where she demonstrated a consistent interest in global health, infectious diseases and translational research. Prior to medical school, she completed her Master’s degrees in Biomedical Science and in Global Health and Medical Anthropology. She has been involved in numerous research projects in Uganda, Honduras, Lebanon and Tanzania. Hannah graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Williams College in Williamstown, MA. Outside of school she enjoys playing bluegrass/old time fiddle and sports with her family and friends. She said she is truly honored to be recognized as a 2019 Kean Fellow for the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Seroprevalence of Ebola Virus among Sexual Partners of Survivors of Ebola Virus Disease in Liberia
10/15/2019 - 6/10/2020
Liberia

What does the Kean Fellowship mean to you?
I have had the privilege of participating in numerous research projects related to infectious diseases and tropical medicine throughout the world prior to medical school. However, the Kean Fellowship is allowing me to take the lead on a project and gain experience working on a research question from formulation to conclusion. I will be able to spend nearly 10 months living and working in Liberia, where I will benefit immensely from the expertise of researchers and mentors already established in the field.

What do you anticipate learning?
This months-long project aims to determine the seroprevalence of Ebola virus among women in Liberia whose sexual partners were survivors of Ebola Virus Disease. Women will participate in survey-based interviews and provide blood samples to assess for the presence of an anti-Ebola virus antibody. In addition to the primary focus of my project, I hope to build my own skills as a clinical researcher and to develop my abilities to work conducting research in an international setting.

What interests you about tropical medicine and what problems are you interested in solving?
As a college student, I had  the opportunity to work in clinical settings focused on providing care for individuals living with HIV in Kampala, Uganda. This experience was my first meaningful exposure to the overwhelming horror of global health inequalities. The daily role I played in the clinic was educational for me and useful for the organization, but the exposure I had to great disparities in health outcomes has been hugely formative for me as I move forward in my career. This great inequality convinced me that the best way to address these complex issues was through an interdisciplinary approach that examines health as complex, dynamic responses to many variables. This conclusion pushed me to pursue a graduate degree in global health and medical anthropology and has led me to pursue my medical degree in order to develop the clinical and research skills I need to be able to contribute to the fields of global health and infectious diseases. The Kean Fellowship will allow me to further these personal and professional goals.