Jessica Taaffe
Jessica Taaffe
Global Health Scientist and Consultant
Global Health Scientist and Consultant
This website has split into Jessica's personal website and her company's, Global Renaissance Enterprises, website. Please refer to those to learn more about Jessica and her consulting services.
Summary
Biomedical scientist with expertise in global health, infectious diseases, and primate immunology. Global health and science writer.
I am a PhD scientist with 10+ years of research experience in government and academia, with expertise in microbiology, immunology, epidemiology, and pathogenesis of infectious diseases. I have specifically worked on HIV, malaria, and influenza, and I am a human and non-human primate immunology expert. In addition to my research activities, I have also been involved in global health and science outreach, advocacy, and communication.
Knowledge dissemination and science communication are important to me, especially as they relate to influencing global health policy, practice, and public awareness. I do so in both professional and personal capacities, including through use of social media. I have extensively written and published my research in academic journals and presented at international scientific meetings. I have also conducted research and written technical reports on leading topics in global HIV epidemiology and program implementation. My views on scientific and global health advocacy have been featured in interviews and guest blogs by the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases, and PLoS Blogs.
Providing consulting services in global health and science research, writing, and outreach.
Using both my technical expertise and communication experience, I provide global health and science consulting services in 1) Research and data analysis, 2) Technical, medical and editorial/advocacy writing 3) Global health and science communications and outreach.
Latest News and Announcements
News and upcoming/recent appearances and events
I was included on the List of 100 Women Leaders in Global Health.
I was a panelist for the Global Assembly "Mobile Development for Public Health" event in Washington, DC on November 6.
I was a guest on The Circus Life Podcast for Episode 66, where I talked Ebola vaccines, dengue virus in the US, and provided commentary on pop culture topics with hosts and musical guest Matthew Berry from the band Classified Frequency.
Consulting Services
Research and data analysis
I have spent 10+ years involved in biomedical research, with specific expertise in microbiology, immunology, and infectious disease pathogenesis, in both humans and non-human primates. I have analyzed large data sets, including biomarkers, clinical and epidemiological.
I provide services on projects requiring compilation, analysis, and/or evaluation of biomedical and population health data, including scientific literature review.
Portfolio examples:
Technical, medical
and editorial/advocacy writing
I have extensive experience writing and authoring scientific publications for academic journals, and I have written advocacy and editorial type pieces for scientific and global health organizations. I also have put together a Policy Research Working Paper.
I provide services in scientific and global health writing, through a variety of print (technical reports, scientific briefs, academic manuscripts) and online media (websites, blogs), also including Powerpoint presentations .
Portfolio examples:
Reports, manuscripts, presentations:
- CCR5 blockade in rhesus macaques
- The economics, financing and implementation of HIV treatment as prevention
- Economic crisis and healthcare – ensuring access to public health services: lessons from the HIV epidemic for hepatitis B and C (co-authored presentation)
Advocacy and editorial pieces:
- Dengue: Why you need to know about it
- Worm tales
- American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) Member Spotlight
- ASTMH World Malaria Day 2014 Perspectives
Global health and science communications and outreach
I founded and led two scientific and global health outreach groups, with an offline and online presence. Activities within these groups included organizing professional, educational, and social events for group members, including a public Global Health Symposium at National Institutes of Health, featuring NIH Director Francis Collins and other esteemed speakers from US government agencies and local and international universities.
I provide services in global health and science communications and outreach through social media management (Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr) and event planning and coordination. I also consult on and produce film and documentary projects .
Portfolio examples:
- NIH Global Health Interest Group
- NIH Global Health Symposium
- Scientists for Global Health
- "I am a Scientist" documentary project (in production)
- This Week in Global Health
Watch/listen to Jessica in action
I regularly appear as a panelist on the weekly live global health news broadcast "This Week in Global Health."
I regularly appear as a panelist on the weekly live global health news broadcast "This Week in Global Health."
I have been a repeat guest on the local DC area podcast, The Circus Life, talking science, health, and pop culture with hosts and featured musical guests.
Experience
The World Bank, Global HIV/AIDS Program
Consultant/Science Writer May 2013 - current
- Work directly with senior team members to write up/compile key research findings and presentations for scientific publication, including on economics of HIV Treatment as Prevention and health investment in Hepatitis C and B control for high level European Union meeting
- Conduct original research for and write up technical reports, including a Policy Research Working Paper on longitudinal HIV epidemiological trends in Africa
- Assist in the coordination between multiple NGO and government agencies in the submission of research manuscripts for a PLoS Collection
Global Health Council
Global Health Ambassador, May 2014
- Attended and promoted "The Future of Global Health" networking event through social media and online networks
PLoS Blogs
Guest Blogger February 2013
- Wrote an awareness and advocacy piece on dengue as an emerging global health problem - "Dengue: Why You Need to Know About It"
NIH Global Health Interest Group
Founder and Chair June 2012 - March 2014
- Managed a Steering Committee of NIH fellows and faculty that organize global health seminars and social/networking events, and maintained website and LinkedIn Group
- Co-led NIH-wide Global Health Symposium featuring NIH Director Francis Collins and speakers from NIH, HHS Office of Global Affairs, and local and international universities, with 450+ registered, including international attendance through webcast
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Laboratory of Malaria Immunology and Vaccinology
Postdoctoral research fellow March 2011 - March 2014
- Lead researcher on project investigating the in vivo clinical, immunological and pathological features and mechanisms associated with and leading to severe malaria anemia in Plasmodium coatneyi-infected rhesus macaques
- Wrote and conducted technical protocols, communicated with and coordinated the activities of diverse project team (veterinarians, animal technicians, collaborating investigators), analyzed data, and presented study findings at conferences or through written publication.
Global Network for Tropical Diseases
Guest Blogger April 2012
- Wrote a piece stressing importance of science and global health advocacy coming from the scientists themselves, based on my personal connection to neglected tropical diseases: "Worm tales: One scientist’s inspiration to turn tropical diseases into 'stories told by a past generation'”
University of Pennsylvania, Silvestri Laboratory
Graduate Reserach Scientist June 2007 - February 2011
- Conducted in vivo CCR5 blockade in rhesus macaques to determine its safety and immunological effects, set up and executed pilot immunological study of rare clinical subset of HIV patients, and analyzed longitudinal immunological data from a cohort of SIV-infected sooty mangabeys
- Lead investigator on all projects. Executed technical and data analysis aspects of projects, and wrote associated manuscripts, technical protocols, and IRB documents.
More experience available upon request in form of curriculum vitae or resume
Areas of expertise
Zoonotic diseases
Technical writing
Social media
Immunology
Microbiology
Event Planning and Coordination
Technical Advocacy
Virology
Animal Models of Disease
Science communication
HIV/AIDS
Malaria
Infectious disease pathogenesis
Epidemiology
About Jessica
Global Health Scientist
Not content to strictly do science or public health, Jessica aims to use her scientific expertise to directly impact global health and international development through policy, advocacy, and communication activities. Her professional interests include evidence-based health policy, building research capacity and access to scientific information in resource-poor settings, promoting innovative and multidisciplinary research, global health diplomacy, and the One Health approach to global health. She is also particulary interested in the intersect between wildlife conservation and zoonotic disease surveillance. Jessica is an active member of Global Health Council, American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, and American Society of Microbiology.
Through her personal use of social media, Jessica strives to challenge the stereotype of scientists being poor communicators and socially awkward, with few interests outside of science. She hopes that, in doing so, she can educate on and promote more public awareness of important scientific and global health issues.
Renaissance Woman
Since first being called a "Renaissance Woman" in 11th grade, Jessica has embraced this description of the wide-range of interests and activities she has pursued both professionally and personally. A dedicated figure skater as a youth, she later went on to pursue music, which has been a serious avocation for her now for over 20 years. A classically trained singer, Jessica has performed with church and semi-professional choirs in New York City and Philadelphia, including with the Philadelphia Orchestra, and at venues such as Carnegie Hall and the Mann Center for the Performing Arts. She currently studies the "Science of Singing" with Chrisselene Petropoulos in Potomac, Maryland, and is a member of the Schola Cantorum at St. Matthew's Cathedral in Washington, DC. Jessica also is a big supporter of live music and loves to go out and listen to both classical and popular genres performances.
In the truest sense of beng a "Renaissance Woman," Jessica double-majored in Biology and Medieval & Renaissance Studies at Duke University (naturally, she bleeds Duke Blue). She geeks out over biomedical archeology and is a huge fan of Italian Renaissance art. Jessica is also a lover of fashion, dancing, travel and hats. She dreams one day of wearing a Marchesa gown and currently owns over a dozen hats, including a bowler hat and a vintage Cordobes hat. Half-Paraguayan, Jessica attributes her love of dancing to her Latin ethnicity and having champion Tango-dancing grandparents. Her passion for international travel started when she was young, taking trips to visit her family in South America; since then, she has traveled to Central America, Europe, and Asia, for business and pleasure. An animal lover, Jessica lives in the Washington DC metro area with her dog Lupa, a White German Shepherd, and Rumi and Bagheera, her Persian and black tabby cats.
Contact me
If you're interested in learning more about my professional services, send me a message!
Copyright 2014