Gorilla Doctors: A One Health Partnership
Gorilla Doctors is the only organization in the world providing in situ veterinary care to endangered eastern gorillas. Their mission is to conserve these populations through life-saving medicine and science using a One Health approach. Dr. Smiley Evans serves as the Chief Veterinary and Scientific Officer for Gorilla Doctors, an essential partnership for this research. Gorilla Doctors curates the largest and longest running biobank of clinical specimens for a great ape species. By integrating four decades of clinical data and biological specimens, Gorilla Doctors facilitates the advanced research necessary to understand complex health threats facing great apes in the wild.

Clinical Knowledge and Veterinary Excellence
A primary focus of current research is the advancement of evidence-based clinical knowledge to provide the best possible medical care for wild eastern gorillas. This involves establishing normal physiologic parameters, which are essential for the broader great ape health community. Researchers are also documenting common clinical syndromes—including "Chronic Wasting Syndrome," gastrointestinal issues, and respiratory diseases—to evaluate the efficacy of medical interventions and drug formulations. These clinical efforts culminate in the creation of comprehensive resources, such as best practice guidelines for the care and potential reintroduction of captive individuals.

Infectious Pathogen Surveillance and Response
To mitigate threats from zoonotic diseases, we employ a "One Health" approach to conduct preemptive surveillance of pathogens in gorillas, sympatric wildlife, domestic animals, and surrounding human communities. This includes investigating the epidemiology of respiratory infections and developing contingency plans for high-consequence outbreaks such as Ebola, Marburg, and Mpox. This surveillance is bolstered by non-invasive field protocols that allow for the detection of disease agents in feces, saliva, and urine without disturbing unhabituated populations.

Investigating Disease Resistance in Gorillas
A critical component of this research is a pilot project to develop induced pluripotent stem cell lines (iPSCs) specifically for the eastern gorilla, which remains the only great ape species without such a resource. These cell lines are an invaluable tool for studying the great ape immune response in vitro, allowing researchers to identify the genetic factors that confer resistance or susceptibility to lethal diseases. Our group is interested in investigating the "paradox" of why eastern gorillas appear resilient to filoviruses like Ebola and Marburg, which have decimated other ape populations, and why they have not been infected with an SIV despite geographic overlap with other infected species. By establishing these iPSCs, laboratories will be able to perform cross-species comparative studies to uncover unique innate immune mechanisms and evolutionary differences in disease response. Stay tuned for more updates on our progress towards developing this essential research tool!

Environmental Change and Anthropogenic Impacts
We are interested in predicting future health impacts under conditions of global environmental change. We are investigating how climate change influences vector abundance (such as mosquitoes and ticks) and the subsequent transmission of diseases. Research also evaluates the consequences of human activities, including habitat loss, the use of herbicides, and exposure to environmental toxins such as lead and other heavy metals. By studying the impacts of human population growth and infrastructure development on gorilla health, this research provides the data necessary to inform conservation management and ensure the long-term viability of both mountain and Grauer’s gorilla populations.