Email: alexrob [ at ] uw [ dot ] edu | Orcid
About
Hi, I'm Alex! I am apart of the Molecular and Cellular Biology program, co-advised by both Alison Feder at UW Genome Sciences and Ben Kerr at UW Biology. I received my B.S. in Global Disease Biology from the University of California, Davis, and my M.P.H. in Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases from the Yale School of Public Health.
Research Interests
My current research is focused on developing statistical models to help us understand the evolution of antimicrobial resistance. I am particularly interested in modeling evolutionary dynamics in which incorporate "social" interactions between microbes, such as the sharing of resources or physical space.
Previously, I worked on understanding SARS-CoV-2 epidemiology and immunology. I was particularly focused on understanding the dynamic interplay between the protective effects of natural infection and vaccination.
Publications
1. Gandhi, S., Klein, J., Robertson, A. J., Peña-Hernández, M. et al. De novo emergence of a remdesivir resistance mutation during treatment of persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection in an immunocompromised patient: a case report. Nat Commun 13, 1547 (2022).
2. Lind, M. L., Robertson, A. J. et al. Association between primary or booster COVID-19 mRNA vaccination and Omicron lineage BA.1 SARS-CoV-2 infection in people with a prior SARS-CoV-2 infection: A test-negative case–control analysis. PLOS Medicine 19, e1004136 (2022).
3. Lind, M. L., Schultes, O. L., Robertson, A. J. et al. Testing Frequency Matters: An Evaluation of the Diagnostic Performance of a Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Rapid Antigen Test in US Correctional Facilities. Clinical Infectious Diseases 76, e327–e335 (2023).
4. Lucas, C., Klein, J., Sundaram, M.E. et al. Delayed production of neutralizing antibodies correlates with fatal COVID-19. Nat Med 27, 1178–1186 (2021). (as apart of the Yale IMPACT team)
Honors and Awards
Horstmann Scholarship
Departmental Citation for Outstanding Service and Citizenship
Mary Rodgers Memorial Scholarship