The Water, Health and Applied Microbiology (WHAM) Laboratory
The Water, Health and Applied Microbiology (WHAM) Laboratory is split between the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) at the University of Guelph and the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics in the College of Public Health at Temple University. The lab is currently led by Dr. Heather Murphy. The lab team consists of research fellows, graduate and undergraduate students interested in the field of water and health. The laboratory primarily focuses on microbiological contamination of water supplies and the subsequent impacts on public health.
Meet the Team
Heather Murphy
Director
Dr. Murphy has over sixteen years of experience in water/wastewater treatment, water quality, drinking water distribution, risk assessment and environmental health in both North America and abroad.
Full-Time Staff
Kristin Skiendzielewski, MPH
Peter Husnik
Townley Sorge, MPH
Masters Students
Ilya Law
Undergraduate Students
Erin Becker
Erica Hollman
Julia Timmoneri
Gopiga Dass
Gopiga Dass is an undergraduate sophomore biology major at Temple University. She joined the WHAM Lab in September 2022 and enjoys working on the WET Trial. Gopiga explains, “As someone who wants to enter the medical field, I am so grateful for the opportunity to contribute to public health research, as I believe both fields go hand in hand in improving the health and well-being of individuals and their families” When she is not working, Gopiga loves watching movies and visiting parks.
Past Students and Staff
Debbie Lee, PhD.
Miriam Wamsley
Jemaneh Habtewold, PhD.
Fighting waterborne diseases in vulnerable populations since 2015