Dr. Leyi Wang joined the College of Veterinary Medicine faculty in 2017. He has frequently been cited for his expertise in emerging zoonotic viruses, most recently when H5N1 avian influenza began infecting mammals, including cats. In 2020, Dr. Wang received the University of Illinois Presidential Medallion, the highest honor bestowed at the university level, for his contributions to the university’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Using about 60 words, how would you explain your main area of research focus to someone sitting next to you on an airplane?
My research primarily focuses on the development and validation of diagnostic methods for pathogens that cause infectious diseases in animals and humans; coronavirus discovery and surveillance in animals; and new pathogen discovery using traditional diagnostic approaches and next-generation sequencing.
How will your work impact quality of life and benefit society both locally and globally?
My research and diagnostic work cover animal infectious diseases of food animals, pets, and wildlife.
Some of these animal infectious diseases, such as rabies, influenza, and SARS-CoV-2, are zoonotic, meaning they may be transmitted between humans and animals. Therefore, our work can help protect and improve human and animal health.
What excites you most about the future of research in your field?
The “One Health” approach, which recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal, and environmental health, requires experts from many fields to work together to protect and promote overall health. Controlling the spread of infectious diseases plays an important role. I am excited to identify pathogens, including several viral diseases in marine mammals, ruminants, and swine, that have not been described previously in the United States.
What tools are critical to the work you do?
I use molecular techniques such as PCR and sequencing, as well as bioinformatic skills for big data analysis.
How has the broader U. of I. research community factored into your success?
Our university fosters communication and collaboration among the diverse platforms and expertise across colleges, which is key for me to grow. Within our college, I have enjoyed investigating diseases in unusual species, working with the Wildlife Epidemiology Laboratory and the Zoological Pathology Program.
What publication are you most proud of?
Identification of porcine deltacoronavirus in 2014 for the first time in diarrheal pigs.
If your work depends on collaborations with people in other fields of study, what are those fields?
I work closely with experts in wildlife epidemiology, zoological medicine, epidemiology, and supercomputing.
More about Leyi Wang
Leyi Wang
Associate Professor (effective Aug. 15, 2025)
Veterinary Clinical Medicine
Education
- PhD, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
- MS, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
- DVM, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai’an, China
Previous Positions
- Researcher 3, Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Ohio Department of Agriculture
- Research Associate, Division of Infectious Diseases, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center
- Post-doctoral Research Associate, Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia
