Research Interests
Infectious disease transmission, One Health, multi-host pathogens, disease ecology, network modeling, movement ecology, spatial modeling
Education
2021
Ph.D., Veterinary Medicine Graduate Program, University of Minnesota
Thesis: “Retrovirus transmission dynamics in the Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi)”
Committee: Meggan Craft (advisor), Dominic Travis, Tiffany Wolf, Kimberly VanderWaal, Sue VandeWoude
2017
DVM, University of Minnesota
Class Rank: 2 out of 99
2010
B.S., Colorado State University
Major: Zoology
Committee: Janice Moore (advisor), Terry Engle
Thesis: “Canine social hierarchy and its influence on the training of the domestic dog”
Ph.D., Veterinary Medicine Graduate Program, University of Minnesota
Thesis: “Retrovirus transmission dynamics in the Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi)”
Committee: Meggan Craft (advisor), Dominic Travis, Tiffany Wolf, Kimberly VanderWaal, Sue VandeWoude
2017
DVM, University of Minnesota
Class Rank: 2 out of 99
2010
B.S., Colorado State University
Major: Zoology
Committee: Janice Moore (advisor), Terry Engle
Thesis: “Canine social hierarchy and its influence on the training of the domestic dog”
Previous Research Experience
2021-2022
Postdoctoral associate, Turner Lab,
Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology,
University of Wisconsin–Madison
2017-2021
Graduate Assistant, Craft Lab,
Veterinary Population Medicine Department,
University of Minnesota
2017
Directed Study, Wolf Lab,
Veterinary Population Medicine Department,
University of Minnesota, and
Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
Assisted in capture of free-ranging white-tailed deer,
led chemical immobilization of capture deer,
processed biological samples
2014, 2015
Summer Scholars Student, Craft Lab,
Veterinary Population Medicine Department,
University of Minnesota
Spatial analyses of bobcat and puma infectious disease,
network analysis of pastoral cattle herds in East Africa
2011
Whooping Crane Reintroduction Intern,
Necedah National Wildlife Refuge, Necedah, WI
Field monitoring of whooping cranes,
costume rearing of sandhill cranes,
behavioral analysis of video monitored whooping cranes
2009-2011
Undergraduate Research Technician, Ruminant Nutrition Lab,
Department of Animal Sciences,
Colorado State University
Performed fatty acid extraction,
ELISA laboratory protocols
Postdoctoral associate, Turner Lab,
Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology,
University of Wisconsin–Madison
2017-2021
Graduate Assistant, Craft Lab,
Veterinary Population Medicine Department,
University of Minnesota
2017
Directed Study, Wolf Lab,
Veterinary Population Medicine Department,
University of Minnesota, and
Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
Assisted in capture of free-ranging white-tailed deer,
led chemical immobilization of capture deer,
processed biological samples
2014, 2015
Summer Scholars Student, Craft Lab,
Veterinary Population Medicine Department,
University of Minnesota
Spatial analyses of bobcat and puma infectious disease,
network analysis of pastoral cattle herds in East Africa
2011
Whooping Crane Reintroduction Intern,
Necedah National Wildlife Refuge, Necedah, WI
Field monitoring of whooping cranes,
costume rearing of sandhill cranes,
behavioral analysis of video monitored whooping cranes
2009-2011
Undergraduate Research Technician, Ruminant Nutrition Lab,
Department of Animal Sciences,
Colorado State University
Performed fatty acid extraction,
ELISA laboratory protocols
Honors and Awards
External Sources
2021 Wildlife Disease Association Graduate Student Research Recognition Award
2020 P.E.O. Scholar Award, International Chapter of the P.E.O. Sisterhood
2019 American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians Student Scholarship Award
2019 Academy Pomeroy DVM/PhD Scholarship, Minnesota Veterinary Medical Foundation
University of Minnesota
2020 Vaughn Larson Memorial Scholarship, University of Minnesota
2019 1st Place, Three Minute Thesis, University of Minnesota, University-Wide Competition
YouTube Recording
2019 1st Place, Science in Seconds, University of Minnesota, St Paul Campus Competition
2019 People’s Choice Award Winner, Science in Seconds, University of Minnesota, St Paul Campus Competition
2017 Class of 1961 Memorial Scholarship, University of Minnesota
2017 College of Veterinary Medicine General Scholarship, University of Minnesota
2017 International Travel Scholarship Award, University of Minnesota
2016 Donna Ant Scholarship, University of Minnesota
2016 Cleaver Scholarship, University of Minnesota
2016 Inducted to Kappa chapter of the Society of Phi Zeta (top 10% of veterinary class)
Colorado State University
2010 Graduated cum laude
2010 Graduated as a Zoology Honors Scholar
2008-2010 Dean’s List award (3.75 or higher GPA in a given semester; received three times)
2008 Harland Clarke Scholarship, Harland Clarke
2008 National Merit Scholarship
2008 President’s Scholarship, Colorado State University
2008 Honors Scholarship, Colorado State University
2021 Wildlife Disease Association Graduate Student Research Recognition Award
2020 P.E.O. Scholar Award, International Chapter of the P.E.O. Sisterhood
2019 American Association of Wildlife Veterinarians Student Scholarship Award
2019 Academy Pomeroy DVM/PhD Scholarship, Minnesota Veterinary Medical Foundation
University of Minnesota
2020 Vaughn Larson Memorial Scholarship, University of Minnesota
2019 1st Place, Three Minute Thesis, University of Minnesota, University-Wide Competition
YouTube Recording
2019 1st Place, Science in Seconds, University of Minnesota, St Paul Campus Competition
2019 People’s Choice Award Winner, Science in Seconds, University of Minnesota, St Paul Campus Competition
2017 Class of 1961 Memorial Scholarship, University of Minnesota
2017 College of Veterinary Medicine General Scholarship, University of Minnesota
2017 International Travel Scholarship Award, University of Minnesota
2016 Donna Ant Scholarship, University of Minnesota
2016 Cleaver Scholarship, University of Minnesota
2016 Inducted to Kappa chapter of the Society of Phi Zeta (top 10% of veterinary class)
Colorado State University
2010 Graduated cum laude
2010 Graduated as a Zoology Honors Scholar
2008-2010 Dean’s List award (3.75 or higher GPA in a given semester; received three times)
2008 Harland Clarke Scholarship, Harland Clarke
2008 National Merit Scholarship
2008 President’s Scholarship, Colorado State University
2008 Honors Scholarship, Colorado State University
Publications
For the most up-to-date list of publications, see Google Scholar
Published manuscripts
Book chapters:
Non-peer reviewed publications
- Gilbertson, M. L. J., S. N. Hart, K. VanderWaal, D. Onorato, M. Cunningham, S. VandeWoude, & M. E. Craft. 2023. "Seasonal changes in network connectivity and consequences for pathogen transmission in a solitary carnivore." Scientific Reports. 13(1), 17802.
- Michalska-Smith, M., E. A. Enns, L. A. White, M. L. J. Gilbertson, M. E. Craft. 2023. “The illusion of personal health decisions for infectious disease management: disease spread on social contact networks.” Royal Society Open Science. 10 (3), 221122.
- Gilbertson, M. L. J., E. E. Brandell, M. Pinkerton, N. Meaux, M. Hunsaker, D. Jarosinski, W. Ellarson, D. P. Walsh, D. J. Storm, W. C. Turner. 2022. “Cause of death, pathology, and chronic wasting disease status of white-tailed deer mortalities in Wisconsin.” Journal of Wildlife Diseases 58(4): 803-815.
- Gilbertson, M. L. J., A. C. Ketz, M. Hunsaker, D. Jarosinski, W. Ellarson, D. P. Walsh, D. J. Storm, W. C. Turner. 2022. “Agricultural land use shapes dispersal in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus).” Movement Ecology, 10(1): 1-18.
- Gilbertson, M. L. J., N. M. Fountain-Jones**, J. Malmberg**, R. Gagne, J. Lee, S. Kraberger, S. Kechejian, R. Petch, E. Chiu, D. Onorato, M. Cunningham, K. Crooks, W. C. Funk, S. Carver, S. VandeWoude, K. VanderWaal, M. E. Craft. 2022. “Apathogenic proxies for transmission dynamics of a fatal virus.” **These authors contributed equally. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 9.
- Manlove, K., M. Wilber, L. White, G. Bastille-Rousseau, A. Yang, M. L. J. Gilbertson, M. E. Craft, P. Cross, G. Wittemyer, K. Pepin. 2022. “Defining an epidemiological landscape by connecting host movement to pathogen transmission.” Ecology Letters, 25(8): 1760-1782. DOI:10.1111/ele.14032
- Gilbertson, M. L. J., D. Onorato, M. Cunningham, S. VandeWoude, M. E. Craft. “Paradoxes and synergies: optimizing management of a deadly virus in an endangered carnivore.” Journal of Applied Ecology, 59(6): 1548-1558. DOI:10.1111/1365-2664.14165
- Milstein, M. S., M. L. J. Gilbertson, L. A. Bernstein, W. Hsue. “Integrating the Multicultural Veterinary Medical Association actionables into diversity, equity and inclusion curricula in United States veterinary colleges.” Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 1(aop): 1-8. DOI: 10.2460/javma.21.10.045
- Fountain-Jones, N.M., S. Kraberger, R. Gagne, M. L. J. Gilbertson, D. R. Trumbo, M. Charleston, P. Salerno, W. C. Funk, K. Crooks, K. Logan, M. Alldredge, S. Dellicour, G. Baele, X. Didelot, S. VandeWoude, S. Carver, M. E. Craft. 2022. “Hunting alters viral transmission and evolution in a large carnivore.” Nature Ecology and Evolution, 6(2): 174-182.
- Brandell, E. E., P. C. Cross, M. E. Craft, D. W. Smith, D. R. Stahler, M. L. J. Gilbertson, T. Wheeldon, J. Stephenson, S. Barber-Meyer, L. D. Mech, A. Kelly, B. Borg, M. Sorum, D. MacNulty, M. Anderson, D. E. Watts, D. Cluff, M. Hebblewhite, E. Almberg, E. Dubovi, P. J. Hudson. “Patters and processes of pathogen exposure in gray wolves across North America.” Scientific Reports 11(1): 1-14.
- Brandell, E. E., N. M. Fountain-Jones, M. L. J. Gilbertson, P. C. Cross, D. W. Smith, D. R. Stahler, P. J. Hudson, C. Packer, M. E. Craft. 2021. Group density, disease, and season shape territory size and overlap of social carnivores. Journal of Animal Ecology. 90(1). DOI:10.1111/1365‐2656.13294
- Gilbertson, M. L. J., L. A. White, M. E. Craft. 2021. Trade-offs with telemetry-derived contact networks for infectious disease studies in wildlife. Methods in Ecology and Evolution 12(1). DOI: 10.1111/2041-210X.1335
- Gilbertson, M. L. J., M. E. Craft, T. Potter. 2019. Planetary grand challenges: a call for interdisciplinary partnerships. Interdisciplinary Journal of Partnership Studies 6(1).
- Fitak, R., J. Antonides, E. Baitchman, […] M. L. J. Gilbertson, […] J. Pecon-Slattery. 2019. The expectations and challenges of wildlife disease research in the era of genomics: forecasting with a horizon scan. Journal of Heredity 110(3).
- Gilbertson, M. L. J., N. M. Fountain-Jones, M. E. Craft. 2018. Incorporating genomic methods into contact networks to reveal new insights into animal behavior and infectious disease dynamics. Behaviour 155(7-9). DOI: 10.1163/1568539X-00003471
- VanderWaal K, M. L. J. Gilbertson, S. Okanga, B. F. Allan, M. E. Craft. 2017. Seasonality and pathogen transmission in pastoral cattle contact networks. R. Soc. open sci. 4(12), 170808. DOI: 10.1098/rsos.170808
- Gilbertson, M. L. J., S. Carver, S. VandeWoude, K. R. Crooks, M. R. Lappin, and M. E. Craft. 2016. Is pathogen exposure spatially autocorrelated? Patterns of pathogens in puma (Puma concolor) and bobcat (Lynx rufus). Ecosphere 7(11):e01558. DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.1558
Book chapters:
- Mistrick, J., M. L. J. Gilbertson, L. A. White, M. E. Craft. “Constructing animal networks for parasite transmission inference.” In: Ezenwa VO, Altizer S, Hall RJ, editors. Animal Behavior and Parasitism. Oxford University Press, 2022. DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780192895561.003.0004
Non-peer reviewed publications
- Milstein, M., L. Bernstein, M. L. J. Gilbertson, W. Hsue. (2022). “Should classroom time be dedicated to antiracist curricula or stay neutral?” JAVMA, 260(13), 1617-1618.
- Bernstein, L., M. L. J. Gilbertson, M. Milstein. (2020). “Diversity and inclusion.” JAVMA, 257(5), 476-477.
Scientific Presentations
Contributed oral presentations at national and international meetings (*presenting author if not MLJG)
Invited research seminars
Selected Poster Presentations (Last three years; *presenting author if not MLJG)
- Gilbertson, M. L. J., A. C. Ketz, M. Hunsaker, D. P. Walsh, D. J. Storm, W. C. Turner. “Seasonal variation in white-tailed deer habitat selection, encounter locations, and CWD transmission potential.” Wildlife Disease Association International Conference, Aug 2023. Athens, Georgia
- Walton, D.*, M. L. J. Gilbertson, M. Cunningham, D. Onorato, J. Ringer, H. Stewart, M. E. Craft. “Monitoring Seroprevalence of Infectious Diseases in the Florida Panther.” Wildlife Disease Association International Conference, Aug 2023. Athens, Georgia.
- Vera, K. B.*, M. L. J. Gilbertson, R. S. Hetem, W. M. Strauss, A. Hartmann, H. Joel, Y. Huang, C. C. Cloete, J. W. Kilian, P. L. Kamath, H. van Heerden, J. K. E. Mfune, W. C. Turner. “The effects of severe drought on herbivore movement patterns, physiology, survival and anthrax risk in Etosha National Park, Namibia.” International Congress for Conservation Biology, July 2023. Kigali, Rwanda.
- Gilbertson, M. L. J., A. C. Ketz, M. Hunsaker, D. Jarosinski, W. Ellarson, D. P. Walsh, D. J. Storm, W. C. Turner. 2022. “Land use shapes dispersal in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus).” The Wildlife Society Conference, November, 2022. Spokane, Washington.
- Gilbertson, M. L. J., E. E. Brandell, M. Pinkerton, N. Meaux, M. Hunsaker, D. Jarosinski, W. Ellarson, D. P. Walsh, D. J. Storm, W. C. Turner. “Cause of death, pathology, and chronic wasting disease status of white-tailed deer mortalities in Wisconsin.” Wildlife Disease Association International Conference, July 2022. Madison, Wisconsin.
- Gilbertson, M. L. J., E. E. Brandell, M. Pinkerton, N. Meaux, M. Hunsaker, D. Jarosinski, W. Ellarson, D. P. Walsh, D. J. Storm, W. C. Turner. “Cause of death, pathology, and chronic wasting disease status of white-tailed deer mortalities in Wisconsin.” Wisconsin Chapter of the Wildlife Society Winter Meeting, Mar 2022. Wisconsin. Virtual Conference.
- Gilbertson, M. L. J., N. M. Fountain-Jones, J. L. Malmberg, R. B. Gagne, J. S. Lee, S. Kraberger, S. Kechejian, R. Petch, E. Chiu, D. Onorato, M. W. Cunningham, K. R. Crooks, W. C. Funk, S. Carver, S. VandeWoude, K. VanderWaal, M. E. Craft. “An apathogenic virus predicts transmission dynamics of a pathogen and reveals paradoxes and synergies in pathogen management in the Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi).” Wildlife Disease Association International Conference, Aug 2021. Cuenca, Spain. Virtual Conference. Student plenary talk.
- Gilbertson, M. L. J., L. A. White, M. E. Craft*. “Inferring contact behavior to predict pathogen spread: Pitfalls of telemetry-derived contact networks.” Ecological Society of America Annual Conference, Aug 2019. Louisville, Kentucky.
- Gilbertson, M. L. J., L. A. White, M. E. Craft. “Telemetry-derived contact networks of wildlife: individual and population-level sampling pitfalls.” Wildlife Disease Association International Conference, Aug 2019. Tahoe City, California.
- Brandell, E. E.*, M. L. J. Gilbertson, C. E. Brook, P. C. Cross, S. Barber-Meyer, L. D. Mech, D. W. Smith, A. P. Dobson, P. J. Hudson, M. E. Craft. “Wolf density correlates with increased disease transmission in Yellowstone National Park compared to Minnesota.” International Wolf Symposium, Oct 2018. Minneapolis, Minnesota.
- Craft, M. E.*, E. E. Brandell, M. L. J. Gilbertson, P. Cross, Pe. Hudson, C. Packer, D. Smith, D. Stahler, N. M. Fountain-Jones. “Space use, contact networks, and disease.” Ecological Society of America Annual Conference, Aug 2018. New Orleans, Louisiana.
Invited research seminars
- Gilbertson, M. L. J. “Veterinary disease ecology and wildlife health.” Veterinary Scholars Symposium, Aug 2023. San Juan, Puerto Rico.
- Gilbertson, M. L. J. “Wildlife disease: A One Health challenge.” Southern Illinois University invited guest seminar, November 2022. Carbondale, Illinois.
- Gilbertson, M. L. J. “Update from the Southwest Wisconsin CWD, deer, and predator study.” Dane County Conservation League, Sep 2022. Madison, Wisconsin.
- Gilbertson, M. L. J., A. C. Ketz, M. Hunsaker, D. Jarosinski, W. Ellarson, D. P. Walsh, D. J. Storm, W. C. Turner. 2022. “Land use shapes dispersal in white-tailed deer.” Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Office of Applied Sciences webinar, July 2022. Madison, Wisconsin.
- Gilbertson, M. L. J., E. E. Brandell, M. Pinkerton, N. Meaux, M. Hunsaker, D. Jarosinski, W. Ellarson, D. P. Walsh, D. J. Storm, W. C. Turner. “Cause of death, pathology, and chronic wasting disease status of white-tailed deer mortalities.” Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Office of Applied Sciences webinar, June 2022. Madison, Wisconsin.
- Gilbertson, M. L. J. “Wildlife infectious disease research.” Student American Veterinary Medical Association Symposium, University of Minnesota, Mar 2022. Minneapolis, Minnesota.
- Gilbertson, M. L. J. “En-ROADS climate solutions simulator: a classroom tool for teaching climate change and ecosystem health?” Ecosystem Health Seminar, University of Minnesota, Feb 2020. St. Paul, Minnesota.
- Gilbertson, M. L. J. “Interdisciplinary partnerships in action: case studies in climate change education and conservation.” Conservation Sciences Seminar, University of Minnesota, Jan 2020. St. Paul, Minnesota.
- Gilbertson, M. L. J., L. A. White, M. E. Craft. “Telemetry-derived contact networks of wildlife: individual and population-level sampling pitfalls.” Quantitative Epi (EpiQ) Seminar, University of Minnesota, Feb 2019. St Paul, Minnesota.
- Gilbertson, M. L. J., J. Lankton, K. L. VanderWaal, M. E. Craft. “Mathematical modeling of Newcastle disease virus in double-crested cormorants.” USGS-National Wildlife Health Center externship seminar, August 2016. Madison, Wisconsin.
Selected Poster Presentations (Last three years; *presenting author if not MLJG)
- Gilbertson, M. L. J., A. Ketz, M. Hunsaker, D. P. Walsh, D. J. Storm, W. C. Turner. “Seasonal variation in white-tailed deer habitat selection, encounter locations, and chronic wasting disease transmission potential.” International Chronic Wasting Disease Symposium, May 2023. Denver, Colorado.
- Inzalaco, H. N.*, M. L. J. Gilbertson, S. Katircioglu, K. Leopard, J. McEarly, A. Bibb, J. Dennison, D. Grove, A. Houston, D. J. Storm, D. P. Walsh, W. C. Turner, S. S. Lictenberg. “Artificial mineral sites that pre-date endemic chronic wasting disease become prion hotspots.” International Chronic Wasting Disease Symposium, May 2023. Denver, Colorado.
- Gilbertson, M. L. J., A. Ketz, M. Hunsaker, D. Jarosinski, W. Ellarson, D. P. Walsh, D. J. Storm, W. C. Turner. "Land use shapes dispersal for white-tailed deer in a chronic wasting disease endemic region." Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Disease Conference, Jun 2022. Hybrid conference, virtual poster.
- Gilbertson, M. L. J., N. M. Fountain-Jones**, J. Malmberg**, R. Gagne, J. Lee, S. Kraberger, S. Kechejian, R. Petch, E. Chiu, D. Onorato, M. Cunningham, K. Crooks, W. C. Funk, S. Carver, S. VandeWoude, K. VanderWaal, M. E. Craft. “Transmission of one predicts another: Apathogenic proxies for transmission dynamics of a fatal virus.” Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Disease Conference, Jun 2021. Virtual conference. **These authors contributed equally.
- Hart, S. N.**, M. L. J. Gilbertson**, K. VanderWaal, D. Onorato, M. Cunningham, S. VandeWoude, M. E. Craft. “Significant seasonal changes in spatial connectivity result in minor differences in predicted epidemic dynamics in a solitary carnivore.” Research Frontiers in Animal Behavior and Parasitism, May 2021. Virtual symposium. **Joint first authors
- Gilbertson, M. L. J., Nicholas M. Fountain-Jones, Kimberly VanderWaal, Sue VandeWoude, Meggan E. Craft. “Predictors of retrovirus transmission in an endangered carnivore, the Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi).” National Association of Veterinary Scientists DVM/PhD Dual-Degree Colloquium, August 2020. Virtual symposium.
- Gilbertson, M. L. J., Lauren A. White, Meggan E. Craft. “Pitfalls of telemetry-derived contact networks of wildlife.” University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine Points of Pride Research Day, October 2019. St Paul, Minnesota.
- Hart, N.S.*, Marie Gilbertson, Lara Cusack, Sue VandeWoude, Meggan Craft. “Seasonal variability in Florida panther epidemic outcomes: simulating a novel GI parasite on contact network models.” University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine Points of Pride Research Day, October 2019. St Paul, Minnesota. Poster Competition: Honorable Mention.
- Hart, N.S.*, Marie Gilbertson, Lara Cusack, Sue VandeWoude, Meggan Craft. “Seasonal variability in Florida panther epidemic outcomes: simulating a novel GI parasite on contact network models.” Boehringer Ingelheim National Veterinary Scholars Symposium, July 2019. Boston, Massachusetts.
- Gilbertson, M. L. J., Lauren A. White, Meggan E. Craft. “Pitfalls of telemetry-derived contact networks of wildlife.” Ecology and Evolution of Infectious Disease Conference, Jun 2019. Princeton, New Jersey.
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