Megan Winzeler is a Biological Science Laboratory Technician at the National Wildlife Health Center.
Megan has worked across multiple scientific and educational disciplines throughout her career. Her research focuses on the effects of natural and anthropogenic stressors on amphibians and reptiles (including contaminants, hydroperiods, and diseases). At the NWHC, she works with teams that combine field ecology with genetic tools to answer important questions about amphibian and reptile disease dynamics and conservation. Megan has a strong background in science communication, working with communities in Georgia and South Carolina to understand the information presented in state and federal environmental monitoring programs. She has given over 100 educational talks and events that reached over 15,000 individuals annually while at the University of Georgia. She has created curriculum and presentations ranging from native wildlife and habitat conservation to understanding risk associated with environmental contaminants.
Professional Experience
2020-present Biological Sciences Technician, USGS National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, WI
2017-2019 Outreach Project Coordinator, Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, SC
2016-2017 Student Services Contractor in support of USGS National Wildlife Health Center, Madison, WI
Education and Certifications
2009-2013 Wildlife Science, Bachelor’s of Science, Purdue University
2013-2016 Ecology, Master’s of Science, University of Georgia
Science and Products
Data from the article “An opportunistic survey reveals an unexpected coronavirus diversity hotspot in North America”
In summer 2020, SARS-CoV-2 was detected on mink farms in Utah. An interagency One Health response was initiated to assess the extent of the outbreak and included sampling animals from or near affected mink farms and testing them for SARS-CoV-2 and non-SARS coronaviruses. Among the 365 animals sampled, including domestic cats, mink, rodents, raccoons, and skunks, 261 (72%) of the animals harbored a
Broad-scale assessment of methylmercury in adult amphibians
Mercury (Hg) is a toxic contaminant that has been mobilized and distributed worldwide and is a threat to many wildlife species. Amphibians are facing unprecedented global declines due to many threats including contaminants. While the biphasic life history of many amphibians creates a potential nexus for methylmercury (MeHg) exposure in aquatic habitats and subsequent health effects, the broad-scal
Authors
Brian J. Tornabene, Blake R. Hossack, Brian J. Halstead, Collin Eagles-Smith, Michael J. Adams, Adam R. Backlin, Adrianne Brand, Colleen Emery, Robert N. Fisher, Jillian Elizabeth Fleming, Brad Glorioso, Daniel A. Grear, Evan H. Campbell Grant, Patrick M. Kleeman, David Miller, Erin L. Muths, Christopher Pearl, Jennifer Rowe, Caitlin Teresa Rumrill, J. Hardin Waddle, Megan Winzeler, Kelly Smalling
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center, National Wildlife Health Center, New Jersey Water Science Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC), Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Eastern Ecological Science Center
Avian-associated Aspergillus fumigatus displays broad phylogenetic distribution, no evidence for host specificity, and multiple genotypes within epizootic events
Birds are highly susceptible to aspergillosis, which can manifest as a primary infection in both domestic and wild birds. Aspergillosis in wild birds causes mortalities ranging in scale from single animals to large-scale epizootic events. However, pathogenicity factors associated with aspergillosis in wild birds have not been examined. Specifically, it is unknown whether wild bird-infecting strain
Authors
Lotus A. Lofgren, Jeffrey M. Lorch, Robert A. Cramer, David S. Blehert, Brenda M. Berlowski-Zier, Megan Winzeler, Cecilia Gutierrez-Perez, Nicole E. Kordana, Jason E. Stajich
An opportunistic survey reveals an unexpected coronavirus diversity hotspot in North America
In summer 2020, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was detected on mink farms in Utah. An interagency One Health response was initiated to assess the extent of the outbreak and included sampling animals from on or near affected mink farms and testing them for SARS-CoV-2 and non-SARS coronaviruses. Among the 365 animals sampled, including domestic cats, mink, rodents, racc
Authors
Hon S. Ip, Kathryn M. Griffin, Jeffrey D. Messer, Megan Winzeler, Susan A. Shriner, Mary Lea Killian, Mia K. Torchetti, Thomas J. DeLiberto, Brian R. Amman, Caitlin M. Cossaboom, R. Reid Harvey, Natalie M. Wendling, Hannah Rettler, Dean Taylor, Jonathan S. Towner, Casey Barton Behravesh, David S. Blehert
Soil reservoir dynamics of ophidiomyces ophidiicola, the causative agent of snake fungal disease
Wildlife diseases pose an ever-growing threat to global biodiversity. Understanding how wildlife pathogens are distributed in the environment and the ability of pathogens to form environmental reservoirs is critical to understanding and predicting disease dynamics within host populations. Snake fungal disease (SFD) is an emerging conservation threat to North American snake populations. The causati
Authors
Lewis J. Campbell, Joanna Burger, Robert T. Zappalorti, John F. Bunnell, Megan Winzeler, Daniel R. Taylor, Jeffrey M. Lorch
Evidence of vertical transmission of the snake fungal pathogen Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola
Snake fungal disease (ophidiomycosis) is an emerging infection of snakes caused by Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola. Little is known about mechanisms of this pathogen's transmission and its implications for conservation of wild snake populations. We report four cases with evidence of vertical transmission of O. ophiodiicola from dam to offspring.
Authors
Anne G Stengle, Terence M. Farrell, Keenan S Freitas, Craig M. Lind, Steven J. Price, Brian O Butler, Tigran Tadevosyan, Marcos Isidoro Ayza, Daniel Taylor, Megan Winzeler, Jeffrey M. Lorch
Pathogenic lineage of Perkinsea associated with mass mortality of frogs across the United States
Emerging infectious diseases such as chytridiomycosis and ranavirus infections are important contributors to the worldwide decline of amphibian populations. We reviewed data on 247 anuran mortality events in 43 States of the United States from 1999–2015. Our findings suggest that a severe infectious disease of tadpoles caused by a protist belonging to the phylum Perkinsea might represent the third
Authors
Marcos Isidoro Ayza, Jeffrey M. Lorch, Daniel A. Grear, Megan Winzeler, Daniel L. Calhoun, William J. Barichivich
Science and Products
- Data
Data from the article “An opportunistic survey reveals an unexpected coronavirus diversity hotspot in North America”
In summer 2020, SARS-CoV-2 was detected on mink farms in Utah. An interagency One Health response was initiated to assess the extent of the outbreak and included sampling animals from or near affected mink farms and testing them for SARS-CoV-2 and non-SARS coronaviruses. Among the 365 animals sampled, including domestic cats, mink, rodents, raccoons, and skunks, 261 (72%) of the animals harbored a - Multimedia
- Publications
Broad-scale assessment of methylmercury in adult amphibians
Mercury (Hg) is a toxic contaminant that has been mobilized and distributed worldwide and is a threat to many wildlife species. Amphibians are facing unprecedented global declines due to many threats including contaminants. While the biphasic life history of many amphibians creates a potential nexus for methylmercury (MeHg) exposure in aquatic habitats and subsequent health effects, the broad-scalAuthorsBrian J. Tornabene, Blake R. Hossack, Brian J. Halstead, Collin Eagles-Smith, Michael J. Adams, Adam R. Backlin, Adrianne Brand, Colleen Emery, Robert N. Fisher, Jillian Elizabeth Fleming, Brad Glorioso, Daniel A. Grear, Evan H. Campbell Grant, Patrick M. Kleeman, David Miller, Erin L. Muths, Christopher Pearl, Jennifer Rowe, Caitlin Teresa Rumrill, J. Hardin Waddle, Megan Winzeler, Kelly SmallingByEcosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center, National Wildlife Health Center, New Jersey Water Science Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Western Ecological Research Center (WERC), Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Eastern Ecological Science CenterAvian-associated Aspergillus fumigatus displays broad phylogenetic distribution, no evidence for host specificity, and multiple genotypes within epizootic events
Birds are highly susceptible to aspergillosis, which can manifest as a primary infection in both domestic and wild birds. Aspergillosis in wild birds causes mortalities ranging in scale from single animals to large-scale epizootic events. However, pathogenicity factors associated with aspergillosis in wild birds have not been examined. Specifically, it is unknown whether wild bird-infecting strainAuthorsLotus A. Lofgren, Jeffrey M. Lorch, Robert A. Cramer, David S. Blehert, Brenda M. Berlowski-Zier, Megan Winzeler, Cecilia Gutierrez-Perez, Nicole E. Kordana, Jason E. StajichAn opportunistic survey reveals an unexpected coronavirus diversity hotspot in North America
In summer 2020, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was detected on mink farms in Utah. An interagency One Health response was initiated to assess the extent of the outbreak and included sampling animals from on or near affected mink farms and testing them for SARS-CoV-2 and non-SARS coronaviruses. Among the 365 animals sampled, including domestic cats, mink, rodents, raccAuthorsHon S. Ip, Kathryn M. Griffin, Jeffrey D. Messer, Megan Winzeler, Susan A. Shriner, Mary Lea Killian, Mia K. Torchetti, Thomas J. DeLiberto, Brian R. Amman, Caitlin M. Cossaboom, R. Reid Harvey, Natalie M. Wendling, Hannah Rettler, Dean Taylor, Jonathan S. Towner, Casey Barton Behravesh, David S. BlehertSoil reservoir dynamics of ophidiomyces ophidiicola, the causative agent of snake fungal disease
Wildlife diseases pose an ever-growing threat to global biodiversity. Understanding how wildlife pathogens are distributed in the environment and the ability of pathogens to form environmental reservoirs is critical to understanding and predicting disease dynamics within host populations. Snake fungal disease (SFD) is an emerging conservation threat to North American snake populations. The causatiAuthorsLewis J. Campbell, Joanna Burger, Robert T. Zappalorti, John F. Bunnell, Megan Winzeler, Daniel R. Taylor, Jeffrey M. LorchEvidence of vertical transmission of the snake fungal pathogen Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola
Snake fungal disease (ophidiomycosis) is an emerging infection of snakes caused by Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola. Little is known about mechanisms of this pathogen's transmission and its implications for conservation of wild snake populations. We report four cases with evidence of vertical transmission of O. ophiodiicola from dam to offspring.AuthorsAnne G Stengle, Terence M. Farrell, Keenan S Freitas, Craig M. Lind, Steven J. Price, Brian O Butler, Tigran Tadevosyan, Marcos Isidoro Ayza, Daniel Taylor, Megan Winzeler, Jeffrey M. LorchPathogenic lineage of Perkinsea associated with mass mortality of frogs across the United States
Emerging infectious diseases such as chytridiomycosis and ranavirus infections are important contributors to the worldwide decline of amphibian populations. We reviewed data on 247 anuran mortality events in 43 States of the United States from 1999–2015. Our findings suggest that a severe infectious disease of tadpoles caused by a protist belonging to the phylum Perkinsea might represent the thirdAuthorsMarcos Isidoro Ayza, Jeffrey M. Lorch, Daniel A. Grear, Megan Winzeler, Daniel L. Calhoun, William J. Barichivich