Louise Moncla: Ann Palmenberg Junior Investigator Award

Source: https://almanac.upenn.edu/articles/louise-moncla-ann-palmenberg-junior-investigator-award Parent: https://almanac.upenn.edu/latest-issue

Louise Moncla

Louise Moncla, an assistant professor of pathobiology in Penn Vet, has been recognized by the American Society for Virology for her contributions to understanding viral evolution and transmission with the Ann Palmenberg Junior Investigator Award.

Dr. Moncla leads a research program focused on how zoonotic viruses emerge and spread at the animal–human interface, with a current emphasis on highly pathogenic H5Nx avian influenza viruses. These avian viruses circulate naturally in wild migratory birds but are establishing persistent circulation in domestic poultry, increasing the risk of sporadic, potentially severe human infections. By combining computational analyses with genomic data and virologic validation, Dr. Moncla’s lab seeks to uncover the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms driving viral emergence and transmission, aiming to improve surveillance, predictive modeling, and outbreak prevention strategies.

The Ann Palmenberg Junior Investigator Award recognizes Dr. Moncla’s scholarship and growing influence in the field of virology. She also received the 2025 Zoetis Award for Veterinary Research Excellence. In 2024, the Pew Charitable Trusts named Dr. Moncla a Pew Scholar in the Biomedical Sciences.