Erin Lashnits
Dr. Lashnits is a clinical assistant professor in small animal internal medicine at University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine. She received her MS in biology from Stanford University, DVM from Cornell University, and PhD in comparative biomedical sciences from NCSU. She did her internship at a private practice in Brooklyn NY and spent a few years in GP/ER (while simultaneously teaching high school chemistry) in Buffalo NY, before completing her internal medicine residency through the clinician investigator program at NCSU.
Her broad research interest is in infectious disease epidemiology using a One Health context, particularly studying zoonotic and vector borne diseases, and infectious diseases that impact underserved veterinary populations. Current studies include characterization of the flea microbiome and flea-borne diseases in free roaming cats, and investigating Bartonella species transmission.
Lashnits CV
Charlotte Manvell
Charlotte is a graduate student in the Comparative Biomedical Sciences program at NCSU, working on Bartonella and other flea-borne zoonotic diseases.
Lisa Kim
Lisa is a veterinary student at University of Wisconsin – Madison SVM, class of 2024, and is from Commack, New York. She is interested in small animal specialty medicine and is particularly interested in working with disadvantaged and historically excluded communities. Under the guidance of Dr. Lashnits, she is studying flea-borne infectious diseases and flea identification morphology found on stray cats in the Midwest. She is also working on projects investigating Lyme and Bartonella exposure in humans with rheumatologic disease, and Babesia spp. exposure in thrombocytopenic dogs in the upper Midwest. In her free time, she enjoys reading, video games, and sharing a hammock with her cat, Hobbes.
Meghan Hoel
Meghan is a veterinary medical student at the University of Wisconsin SVM, class of 2024. She has an interest in accessible medicine, shelter medicine, and research. Meghan participates in high-volume spay and neuter clinics as well as regular wellness clinics that focus on offering affordable preventatives and sharing knowledge of medical prophylaxis with the community. In the Lashnits Lab, she is studying fecal microbial transplant as an accessible alternative for the treatment of Canine parvovirus.
Krista Li
Krista is a veterinary student at University of Wisconsin-Madison SVM, class of 2025. Originally from Qingdao, a coastal city in China, she came to the U.S. to pursue her study of veterinary medicine. She is passionate about geriatric animal care and strengthening the human-animal bond in underserved communities. Under the guidance of Dr. Lashnits, she is studying the manifestation of flea burden on feline upper respiratory health. Outside the school, you can find Krista running, hiking, kayaking with her husband Klay and their dog Phoebe, creating new recipes, or volunteering at local animal organizations. She also has two cats, Wilding and Maddy, at home that she loves dearly.
Haley Uustal
Haley is a Master of Public Health student at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, class of 2023. She is interested in infectious disease epidemiology, OneHealth, and healthcare data interoperability. Under the guidance of Dr. Lashnits, she is investigating Bartonella infections in humans, and their association with chronic illness and mental health. In her free time, Haley enjoys hiking, listening to podcasts, and pet sitting for her friends.
Previous lab members…
Bartonella Review Team
The Bartonella Review team (BaRT) is a group of veterinary students assembled to research, write, edit, and ultimately publish a review article on Bartonella spp. infection in dogs and cats. In the process, they will learn critical research skills including literature searching, critically evaluating primary research articles, working collaboratively in a team, and writing for a scientific audience.
Team members: Maggie Jensen, Allison Ludwig, Veronica Magsamen, Annie Pankowski, Rachel Taber