One Health for All
The health of one impacts the health of all. It is with this vital ‘One Health’ perspective that we approach all of our work.
Great Ape Medicine
We have built the world’s largest database of medical information on gorillas, and the most comprehensive biobank of pathology specimens for a free-ranging great ape species.
At our leading laboratory, we:
- Diagnose the cause of illness within 24 hours allowing for faster and more accurate treatment than ever before
- Detect and identify human-borne pathogens proven to cause disease in mountain gorillas
- Perform genomic analyses to understand genetic contributions to gorilla health and disease
- Collect and process wildlife samples during human disease outbreaks to support health officials in tracking the point of spillover between animals to humans
- Conduct scientific research to advance our understanding of great ape health
- Publish hundreds of scientific publications and book chapters with collaborators to share our evidence-based knowledge with the world (HERE is a collection of some of our scientific papers)
- Partner with government and local authorities to advance best practices for gorilla and human health
Human Health Initiatives
For more than 20 years we have facilitated human health initiatives:
- Provided 2,000+ employees, park staff, and their families with access to annual health care (annual screenings continue)
- Built and staffed 1st ever on – site human medical clinic in a gorilla park (Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda)
- Constructed 12+ hygiene stations and clean water systems for park staff installed in both Volcanoes and Bwindi Impenetrable National Parks
- Trained hundreds of park staff and community partners on hygiene, health, and minimizing disease risks (annual trainings continue)
- Conducted health screening support during human disease outbreaks (screening support continues)
Training the Next Generation
At Gorilla Doctors, we invest in the expertise and career development of our Rwandan, Ugandan, and Congolese teams by facilitating advanced degrees as well as international training opportunities:
- Enrolling our staff in master’s degree training programs while they remain with full-time employment at Gorilla Doctors
- Launching a joint PhD program in partnership with the University of California, Berkeley and Makerere University in Uganda
- Facilitating training programs at the University of California, Davis, Houston Zoo, and the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium, to name a few
- Attending and presenting at international meetings, conferences, and congresses
Additionally, Gorilla Doctors offers immersive internships for Rwandan, Ugandan, and Congolese veterinary and graduate students in the areas of conservation medicine, epidemiology, and clinical and laboratory diagnostics.
Students Mentored to date
International Expertise
Gorilla Doctors is recognized as the world’s leading expert in eastern gorilla health. We are honored to contribute to global conversations that influence the future of great ape conservation and One Health through our collaborations with:
The Smiley Lab at UC Berkeley
Dr. Tierra Smiley Evans serves as Gorilla Doctors’ Chief Veterinary and Scientific Officer. She is an assistant professor in emerging zoonoses at the University of California, Berkeley with a joint appointment at the School of Public Health and the department of Integrative Biology. Her laboratory works closely with the Gorilla Doctors Michael Cranfield Regional One Health Laboratory in Rwanda to lead Gorilla Doctors’ international research. Dr. Evans also holds an associate adjunct professor position in the Department of Medicine & Epidemiology at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.
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