Albert I. Ko

Research Statement

AI generated · Aug 4, 2026

Albert I. Ko’s indexed work centers on the global burden and molecular biology of leptospirosis, a neglected zoonotic disease. His senior-authored systematic review of leptospirosis morbidity and mortality (1986 citations) established foundational epidemiological estimates, while his first-author perspective on the molecular genetics era for *Leptospira* (886 citations) charted a path for modern pathogen research. Ko also led pivotal studies on SARS-CoV-2 detection, including a senior-authored trial comparing saliva to nasopharyngeal swabs (1051 citations) and a case report documenting the de novo emergence of remdesivir resistance during treatment of an immunocompromised patient (314 citations). Beyond his lead-author contributions, Ko collaborated on high-impact consortia studies, including a middle-author role in a *Nature* paper on longitudinal immune responses in severe COVID-19 (2312 citations) and a *Nature* study on sex differences in immune responses underlying COVID-19 outcomes (1526 citations). His earlier work on pathways to zoonotic spillover (1270 citations) further contextualizes his career-long focus on emerging infectious diseases. Across these efforts, Ko has consistently bridged field epidemiology in urban slums with molecular characterization of pathogens, advancing both clinical diagnostics and fundamental understanding of transmission dynamics.

Most Cited Works

Longitudinal analyses reveal immunological misfiring in severe COVID-19

Carolina Lucas, Patrick Wong, Jon Klein, Tiago B R Castro, Julio Silva, Maria Sundaram, Mallory K Ellingson, Tianyang Mao, Ji Eun Oh, Benjamin Israelow, Takehiro Takahashi, Maria Tokuyama, Peiwen Lu, Arvind Venkataraman, Annsea Park, Subhasis Mohanty, Haowei Wang, Anne L Wyllie, Chantal B F Vogels, Rebecca Earnest, Sarah Lapidus, Isabel M Ott, Adam J Moore, M Catherine Muenker, John B Fournier, Melissa Campbell, Camila D Odio, Arnau Casanovas-Massana, Yale IMPACT Team, Roy Herbst, Albert C Shaw, Ruslan Medzhitov, Wade L Schulz,

Research Areas

Leptospirosis research and findingsSARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 ResearchMosquito-borne diseases and controlCOVID-19 Clinical Research StudiesViral Infections and Vectors

Affiliations & Education

Education

1982–1991
Harvard University(US)
M.D. · Medicine
1977–1981
Massachusetts Institute of Technology(US)
B.S. · Chemistry

Employment

2010–present· now
Yale University(US)
Raj and Nooyi Professor of Public Health · Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases

Loading ORCID activity...

Sources

Research Statement

Most Cited Works

Longitudinal analyses reveal immunological misfiring in severe COVID-19

Research Areas

Affiliations & Education

Education

Employment

Global Morbidity and Mortality of Leptospirosis: A Systematic Review

Sex differences in immune responses that underlie COVID-19 disease outcomes

Pathways to zoonotic spillover

Measurement of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater tracks community infection dynamics