Hi, I’m Vanessa Smilansky, and I love pathogens.

All types of pathogens and microorganisms: viruses, bacteria, fungi that invade and control the minds of insects to increase their chances of dispersal, and especially single-celled protists with such complex life cycles that each stage could be mistaken for a different species. Their diversity and survival strategies are fascinating, not to mention the ecosystem services they provide and the pharmaceuticals they’ve inspired.

I also love nature.

I believe humanity is meant to flourish within the symbiosis of the natural world, not apart from it. In the Anthropocene, it’s hard not to feel how far we’ve drifted from that relationship, and how much better it could be. We should take pride in our unique humanity and use our massive brains to reconnect with and steward the systems we depend on. Over the past 15 years as a research scientist, I’ve done my best to push this principle forward.

This is where One Health comes in.

One Health recognizes that human, animal, and environmental health are deeply interconnected, and that addressing global health challenges requires integrated approaches. For example, tracking pathogens across human communities, agricultural systems, and surrounding environments can help identify points of spillover and prevent broader outbreaks. This framework reflects both my philosophy and practice: translating One Health principles into actionable biosurveillance across interconnected systems using genomics to detect, characterize, and monitor pathogens.

Let’s build something better.

I’m looking to connect with others who share these interests, especially in the Boston area, a hub of immense talent in scientific research and biotechnology. I hope to see innovation in this area expand beyond biomedical research and drug discovery to include biosurveillance and preservation of biodiversity. My goal is for One Health Detection to grow beyond a personal platform into an organization that advances pathogen detection across microbial domains to prevent pandemics in natural and built systems, an opportunity to take pride in our humanity and step fully into our role as stewards of the Earth.

If you any questions or just want to say “hi”, please reach out to me at vanessa@onehealthdetection.com.