Dr. Vasilakis is currently a professor in the Department of Pathology and Vice Chair for Research at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston, Texas, and a Fellow of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. He earned his BA and MA degrees in Biology from Hofstra University and his PhD in Experimental Pathology at UTMB. For the past 20 years his research interests have been to understand the evolution and pathogenesis of arthropod-borne viruses, virus – mosquito, and virus – host interactions and his collaborative research program has been at the vanguard of research on the ecology and evolution of arboviruses and their vectors, using sylvatic DENV as a model for which  experimental studies have led to over 190 peer-reviewed publications. Currently he serves as the contact PI of one of the funded Centers for research In Emerging Infectious Diseases (CREID), The Coordinating Research on Emerging Arboviral Threats Encompassing the Neotropics (CREATE-NEO).