As a disease detective with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Mary Kate Moran ’17 is one of the first to investigate mysterious outbreaks and other public health emergencies in the U.S. and around the globe. Disease detectives are officers within the Epidemic Intelligence Service, a fellowship for doctoral-level scientists like Moran, who earned a doctorate in microbiology and immunology and a master’s in public health from the University of Rochester.
Currently serving within the CDC’s viral gastroenteritis branch, Moran focuses on the highly contagious rotavirus and norovirus and how to save lives by preventing and controlling their spread. As she prepared to depart for the Democratic Republic of the Congo for work, Moran gave HCM an inside look at her life as a disease detective — and how a love of Nancy Drew, science and the Jesuit mission led her to a fulfilling career protecting the health of the public.
FIRST, A FEW QUESTIONS ABOUT YOU, MARY KATE
Where did you grow up?
Niskayuna, New York.
When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be a zookeeper (for elephants) for the longest time. We hear you loved detective books as a child. What were your favorites? I was a huge Nancy Drew fan, and I love Agatha Christie (the Miss Marple ones are my favorites) and the Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear.
What profession other than your own would you like to try?
Sometimes I still want to live out my zookeeper dream! How do you relax? Yoga, running or reading with a nice cup of tea.
If you could live anywhere, where would you live?
Can I say a place I’d like to visit instead? There are two sanctuaries in Kenya for orphaned elephants that I would love to visit, the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary and the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust.
What is something most people don’t know about you or are surprised to learn about you?
I am a huge fan of the New York Mets.
If you were a ‘Jeopardy’ contestant, what is a category you would dominate? What category would you least like to see on the board?
I would dominate a category on lyrics from the musical “Hamilton.” I wouldn’t do well in a category about video games.
Favorite TV show?
“Bones.”
Favorite book you’ve read recently?
My top three from 2024 were “The Will of the Many” by James Islington, “A Wild and Heavenly Place” by Robin Oliveira and “Impossible Creatures” by Katherine Rundell.
What book do you wish you could read again for the first time?
I wish I could read the Harry Potter series again for the first time.
ON BEING A CDC ‘DISEASE DETECTIVE’
What is a ‘disease detective’?
The CDC disease detectives are part of the Epidemic Intelligence Service, a two-year fellowship for doctoral-level scientists. We are placed in state and local health departments and across CDC to research and respond to various public health concerns. When there are outbreaks or other public health emergencies, the CDC disease detectives are often some of the first people called in to respond. We help identify sources of outbreaks, meet with communities who are impacted and work to share timely public health information.
What drew you to this role at the CDC?
I learned about this fellowship during grad school when a University of Rochester alum who had completed the program delivered a “career story” presentation. At the time I was really unsure of what type of career I wanted to pursue after grad school. This fellowship sounded like an amazing opportunity to gain practical experience in applied epidemiology and work in the public health field.
How would you describe a typical day in your life as a CDC disease detective?
I spend a lot of time looking at and analyzing data to try to address various public health questions and problems. Once we have analyzed and interpreted the data, we then work to share this information with the scientific community and the public through scientific manuscripts, website posts and presentations. When traveling to work with our global partners, we often conduct trainings, perform site visits and work with our partners to validate and analyze the existing data.
What are rotavirus and norovirus, and why is it so important to track these viruses?
Rotavirus and norovirus are two common causes of acute gastroenteritis (diarrhea and vomiting). In the U.S., norovirus is the leading cause of acute gastroenteritis and foodborne illness and is estimated to cause 20 million illnesses each year. We monitor norovirus outbreaks to understand the burden of disease and identify groups of people who are most at risk for infection. Rotavirus is one of the leading causes of acute gastroenteritis and is the leading cause of diarrheal deaths in children under the age of 5 globally. A lot of our domestic work for rotavirus is monitoring which strains of rotavirus are in circulation and measuring the effectiveness of the existing vaccines. We also work with global partners to provide technical support to other countries that have introduced rotavirus vaccines and want to assess the impact and safety of the vaccines in their populations.
What is a case you’re trying to crack at the moment?
One of the big questions about rotavirus vaccines is why they are more effective in some countries than others. The team I am on has multiple projects where we are trying to better understand these differences in vaccine performance.
Who is particularly vulnerable to rotavirus and norovirus?
Rotavirus is most common in infants and young children. Adults can also get rotavirus, but tend to have milder symptoms. Norovirus makes people of all ages sick, but children under 5 years of age, older adults and people with weakened immune systems are at a greater risk of severe disease.
What are your top tips for preventing and controlling the spread of rotavirus and norovirus?
In the U.S. there are two FDA-approved pediatric vaccines for rotavirus that CDC recommends infants receive. Rotavirus vaccination is the best way to protect children. For both rotavirus and norovirus, washing your hands after using the bathroom or changing diapers is really important, as is cleaning surfaces and bathrooms when people have been sick. Staying home if you are sick and not preparing food for others, and keeping sick children at home, helps keep others safe. Washing fruits and vegetables and cooking seafood thoroughly are other ways to help reduce the spread of norovirus.
Where have you travelled as part of this work?
I have traveled to Nigeria and Pittsburgh for conferences related to my work. I also went to Seychelles and the Democratic Republic of the Congo for two projects where we worked with the World Health Organization (WHO), the Ministry of Health and hospitals to study the impact of the rotavirus vaccine in these countries.
What is something you wish the general public understood better about rotavirus and norovirus?
Even though you may not have specifically heard of rotavirus or norovirus, they are really common. The best prevention methods are washing your hands and making sure your child receives the rotavirus vaccine.
What is the best part of your job?
Everyone I work with is so passionate about public health and the work that we do. It is so enjoyable to work in an environment where you feel like you are really making an impact.
What is your professional motto?
Our mission at CDC is to protect health and improve lives.
What motivates you in this work?
When we talk to physicians both here in the U.S. and globally, they always talk about how remarkable the difference in hospital admissions was after the rotavirus vaccine was introduced. They talk about how the pediatric wards would be filled with sick children during the rotavirus season, and how much hospitalizations decreased after vaccines became available. Hearing firsthand about the impact of these vaccines is really meaningful and motivating.
ON ALMA MATER
What made you choose Holy Cross?
My cousin, Christina [Atkinson ’04], went to Holy Cross, and growing up we would visit family in Maine. Every time we drove by campus, my mom would say that it was the school for me. When it was time to apply for college, Holy Cross was at the top of my list. I really loved the size of the school and how strong the academics were
How do you think you are different because of your education from Holy Cross?
The Jesuit mission of “men and women for and with others” has been such a huge part of my life since Holy Cross. I try to live that mission and serve others in the best way I can. I think a career in public health, working to serve others in the United States and abroad, is a really good way to try and live this mission.
What is something you learned at Holy Cross that you use today?
So much! Beyond just shaping how I approach a research question or work with a collaborator, Holy Cross really shaped the kind of person I aim to be each day. I learned how to be more empathetic, to better listen to the viewpoints of others, and how to vocalize my own opinions in a productive manner.
What was the most impactful course you took at Holy Cross, and who taught it?
Virology with Professor Ann Sheehy. This class was so interesting — it is the class that made me a much stronger writer and what made me want to join Professor Sheehy’s research lab!
How did your experience studying HIV while at Holy Cross influence your career?
Working in Professor Sheehy’s lab was a great experience and made me want to attend graduate school. I quickly learned that science and research come with a lot of failures, and you need to be able to problem solve and keep at it. The coursework and lab experiences I had from Holy Cross prepared me so well for graduate school and beyond.
What was your educational/ professional path after Holy Cross? How did the College launch you on that journey?
The bio classes and labs at Holy Cross and my time working in Professor Sheehy’s lab opened my eyes to the possibilities of a career in science and made me want to pursue a Ph.D. After graduating from Holy Cross, I started in the microbiology and immunology Ph.D. program at the University of Rochester and joined a dermatology lab for my thesis research. I really enjoyed the liberal arts education I received at Holy Cross and how I learned to think more critically by taking courses in a variety of disciplines. When I learned about the master’s in public health (M.P.H.) program at the University of Rochester and how multidisciplinary the field of public health is, I decided to pursue an M.P.H. as well.
What is your favorite Holy Cross tradition?
Lessons and Carols — the chapel is always so beautiful during Advent.
AND FINALLY …
What do you think are the biggest challenges disease prevention faces today?
Misinformation and disinformation have become huge challenges for disease prevention and public health in general.
What book changed your life?
I read “Tattoos on the Heart” by Rev. Gregory Boyle, S.J., when it was a book club pick for one of the Holy Cross groups and found it so meaningful. I have gifted the book to many people in my life. During my Ph.D., I read “The Moment of Lift” by Melinda French Gates and it was one of the reasons why I decided to pursue an M.P.H. and focus more on the public health field.
Who or what inspires you?
This year I was able to attend three amazing events featuring people who are big inspirations of mine – a moderated discussion with Dr. Anthony Fauci ’62, Hon. ’87, a talk given by Dr. Jane Goodall and a panel discussion with Kathrine Switzer. I was so inspired hearing about their careers and the different challenges they have had to overcome and was in awe of all they have accomplished and the huge impacts they have made on our world. I left the events feeling inspired and much more hopeful for our future.
