Dr. Siddhartha “Sid” Thakur is the Executive Director of Global One Health Academy and Professor of Molecular Epidemiology at the College of Veterinary Medicine, NC State. In his current role, Dr. Thakur is responsible for expanding NC State’s One Health research and education efforts, as well as increasing opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, with a focus on interdisciplinary project-based experiences, and the development of evidence-based recommendations for tackling current and future global threats. He is an NC State Chancellor faculty scholar. He received his Degree in Veterinary Medicine and Master of Veterinary Public Health from India, and his Ph.D. from NC State.
His research focus is to fill critical knowledge gaps that exist in the complex chain of events leading to the development, dissemination and persistence of antimicrobial resistant (AMR) bacterial foodborne pathogens at the interface of humans, animals, and the environment. Dr. Thakur`s research is centered on two predominant themes. The first revolves around understanding the phenotypic and genotypic similarity and/or diversity of AMR bacterial strains reported in animals and humans. This involves characterizing and elucidating the mechanisms of AMR at the molecular level, analyzing DNA fingerprint patterns, and determining the risk factors that predispose the animals and humans to infections by these strains. The second theme focuses on using phylogenetics to study the evolution of drug-resistant bacterial strains at the population level. In this, molecular approaches are undertaken to analyze pathogen evolution on an evolutionary scale. Dr. Thakur has authored or co-authored 95 peer-reviewed publications, and edited two books on Food Safety.