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Noele Nelson, MD, PhD, MPH

Faculty member

Department of Public & Ecosystem Health

Courtesy Professor of Practice

Public & Ecosystem Health

Cornell Public Health


Department of Public & Ecosystem Health
Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
Ithaca, NY 14853

Email:
npn29@cornell.edu

Research Interest

  • Public Health Systems
  • Infectious Disease Epidemiology
  • Emergency Response
  • Social Vulnerability
  • Emerging Infections
  • Biosurveillance
  • Molecular Epidemiology
  • Strategic Planning

Education

  • 2007: Pediatric Residency, Medstar Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC
  • 2005: PhD, Epidemiology, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel
  • 2004: MD, International Health, Medical School for International Health, Ben Gurion University of the Negev in Collaboration with Columbia University Health Sciences, Beer Sheva, Israel
  • 1996: MPH, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, MA
  • 1992: BA, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT

Biography/Professional Experience

Noele P. Nelson is a physician, epidemiologist, and scientist with over 20 years of experience in academia, and in private and public sectors. She has worked at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for the past 11 years where she has served in leadership roles as a medical epidemiologist and science advisor. Her work has focused on developing evidence-based national clinical screening, testing and vaccination guidelines, utilizing data analytic approaches to monitor state and local public health prevention program implementation, and as a disaster and outbreak response leader.  Dr. Nelson served in multiple emergency response roles during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Zika virus outbreak, and the Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa. She was on the faculty at Georgetown University Medical Center before joining CDC where she served as co-principal investigator on a large biosurveillance project. Dr. Nelson has authored over 90 journal articles and delivered presentations on biosurveillance, epidemiology, vaccine research and policy, and related topics in national and international forums.

Publications

Dr. Nelson’s full list of publications is available here.

Selected publications:

  1. Conners EE, Panagiotakopoulos L, Hofmeister MG, Spradling PR, Hagan LM, Harris AM, Rogers-Brown JS, Wester C, Nelson NP, Screening and Testing for Hepatitis B Virus Infection: CDC Recommendations —United States, 2023., MMWR Recomm Rep 2023;72(No. RR-1):1–25. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.rr7201a1.
  2. Weng MK, Doshani M, Khan MA, Frey S, Ault K, Moore KL, Hall EW, Morgan RL, Campos-Outcalt D, Wester C, Nelson NP, Universal Hepatitis B Vaccination in Adults Aged 19-59 Years: Updated Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices - United States, 2022, MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2022 Apr 1;71(13):477-483. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm7113a1.
  3. Hagan L, Montgomery M, Cooley L, Gupta, N, Nelson NP, Recent incarceration among people infected with hepatitis A virus during person-to-person community outbreaks— United States, 2016–2020, Public Health Rep, 2022 Jul 20:333549221108413, doi: 10.1177/00333549221108413.
  4. Koneru A, Fenlon N, Schillie S, Williams C, Weng MK, Nelson NP, National Perinatal Hepatitis B Prevention Program: 2009–2017, Pediatrics, 2021 Mar;147(3):e20201823. doi: 10.1542/peds.2020-1823.
  5. Kaufman HW, Bull-Otterson L, Meyer WA, Huang X, Doshani M, Thompson WW, Osinubi A, Khan MA, Harris AM, Gupta N, Van Handel M, Wester C, Mermin J, Nelson NP, Decreases in Hepatitis C Testing and Treatment During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Am J Prev Med, 2021 May 10:S0749-3797(21)00220-8. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2021.03.011.
  6. Nelson NP, Weng M, Hofmeister M, Moore K, Doshani M, Kamili S, Koneru A, Haber P, Hagan L, Romero J, Schillie S, Harris A, Prevention of Hepatitis A Virus Infection in the United States: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, MMWR Recomm Rep. 2020;69(5):1-38. Published 2020 Jul 3. doi:10.15585/mmwr.rr6905a1.
  7. Doshani M, Weng M, Moore K, Romero J, Nelson NP, Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices for Use of Hepatitis A Vaccine for Persons Experiencing Homelessness, MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2019;68:153-156. DOI: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6806a6.

Awards and Honors

  • 2022: Certificate of Appreciation, COVID-19 Vaccine Task Force, Chief Medical Officer, Associate Director of Science.
  • 2021: CDC/ATSDR Honor Award winner for Excellence in Public Health Protection, COVID-19 Repatriation Unit.
  • 2020: CDC/ATSDR Honor Award winner for Excellence in Emergency Response—Domestic, Hepatitis A Outbreak Response.
  • 2016: Certificate of Appreciation, Zika Outbreak Response contributions
  • 2016: Department of State, United States of America, Meritorious Honor Award, Ebola Outbreak Response.
  • 2011: Certificate of Appreciation, Department of Pediatrics, directing the resident research track.
  • 2009: Letter of Commendation from the Director of the DNI/Open Source Center, outstanding services during the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic.
  • 2008: National Intelligence Medallion, Division of Integrated Biodefense, Argus Team Award

Professional/Academic Affiliations

  • 2013–present: Associate Director for Epidemiologic Science, Division of Bacterial Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Disease, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • 2012–2014: Adjunct Research Assistant Professor, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC., Department of Pediatrics
  • 2008–2012: Research Assistant Professor, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC., Department of Pediatrics