Environmental Infectious Diseases
The Sherrilyn and Ken Fisher Center for Environmental Infectious Diseases
Established in 2012, the Sherrilyn and Ken Fisher Center for Environmental Infectious Diseases is dedicated to the clinical and translational research of diseases that may be classified as environmental infectious diseases. The term “environmental infectious disease” includes disease-causing agents found in traditional ecological environments, such as air, soil, and water, in addition to vector-borne or zoonotic diseases, and those acquired from built environments (home, hospital, and community).
Mission Statement
The Sherrilyn and Ken Fisher Center for Environmental Infectious Diseases is dedicated to the clinical research of environmental pathogens which improves the diagnosis and treatment of these infections.
Fisher Center Goals
- Be a leader in prevention and clinical treatment of less-understood environmental infectious diseases
- Develop excellence in clinical research and education regarding environmental infectious pathogens
- Support leadership development in clinical care and research
Fisher Center Clinical and Clinical Research Topics Meeting
The Fisher Center Clinical and Clinical Research Topics Meeting occurs twice a month. Guests and Fisher Center Discovery Program award winners present the latest in clinical care and investigation of environmental infectious diseases, antimicrobial resistance, and post-infectious conditions.
2026 Fisher Center Clinical and Clinical Research Topics Meeting Schedule*
*subject to change
Fisher Center Faculty
Paul G. Auwaerter, MD, MBA
Paul G. Auwaerter, MD, MBA is the Sherrilyn and Ken Fisher Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases. He is also the Director of the Sherrilyn and Ken Fisher Center of Infectious Diseases. His research interests include tick-borne diseases, emphasizing the accurate diagnosis and prevention of Lyme disease.
Dr. Auwaerter is also the Executive Director of the Johns Hopkins POC-IT Center (Point-of-Care Information Technology) and was the Clinical Director for the Division of Infectious Diseases from 2006 to October 2025.
View full profile Auwaerter Research Dashboard and Publications
Lucy Li, MD, PhD, MHS
Joining the team in July 2025, Lucy Li, MD, PhD, is the Sherrilyn and Ken Fisher Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases. Her research interests include the environmental and community drivers of invasive fungal infections, aiming to identify predictors that improve early diagnosis and thereby allow for early anticipation of effective antifungal therapy for these often life-threatening infections. As part of the Sherrilyn and Ken Fisher Center and the Transplant Oncology Group within the Division of Infectious Diseases, Lucy will utilize her talents to enhance patient care for individuals who are immunosuppressed and therefore particularly vulnerable to fungal diseases.
Advisory Board
Paul Auwaerter MD, MBA
Chief Medical Officer, Point of Care-Information Technology (POC-IT) Center
Sherrilyn and Ken Professor, Medicine
Division of Infectious Disease
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
David Thomas, MD, MPH
Stanhope Bayne-Jones Professor of Medicine
Co-Director, Clinical Core, Johns Hopkins Center for AIDS Research|
Division of Infectious Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Marsha Wills-Karp, PhD, MHS
Anna M. Baetjer Professor in Environmental Health and Engineering, and Biochemistry, and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (Joint)
Director of CHARMED Community Health Center
Bloomberg Centennial Professor
Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Joint)
Yuka Manabe, MD
Division of Infectious Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Departments of International Health and Molecular Microbiology and Immunology (MMI), Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mark Sulkowski, MD
Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Trials
Chief, Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
Medical Director, Viral Hepatitis Center
Director, Office of Clinical Trials
Division of Infectious Disease, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Amita Gupta, MD, MHS
Florence Sabin Professor of Infectious Diseases
Director, Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Andrea Cox, MD, PhD
Director, Medical Scientist Training Program
Division of Infectious Diseases, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology (MMI), Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Nicole Baumgarth, PhD, DVM
Peetz Family Professor
Lyme and Tickborne Diseases Research and Education Institute
Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology (MMI), Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Staff & Support Team
Diane Lanham, MA
Manager, Fisher Center Discovery Program
The Sherrilyn and Ken Fisher Center for Environmental Infectious Diseases
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Kara Hurley
Leadership & Major Gift Officer
Development & Alumni Relations
The Fund for Johns Hopkins Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Jenny Garcia-Abreu
Senior Financial Analyst
Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Our newsletter The Fisher Focus
Contact The Fisher Center
Diane C. Lanham, MA
Senior Research Program Manager
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (443) 287-4800