Position Title
Director, Latin America Program
Dr. Marcela Uhart, is an Argentinian veterinarian. She is Director of the Latin America Program at the Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center. Her focus is on free-ranging wildlife health research and conservation, especially in marine wildlife (particularly mammals and birds). She runs long-term projects with southern right whales in Argentina, and with penguins, albatrosses and petrels in several South American countries.
Dr. Uhart also investigates disease outbreaks of conservation concern in native terrestrial wildlife, such as the endangered Andean deer. Her wildlife health research expands over a variety of topics, including infectious and parasitic diseases, zoonotic pathogens, pollutants including plastics, biotoxins, antimicrobial resistance, physiology, ecology and health risks from human interactions (e.g. whale entanglements). Uhart’s research aims for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem health under a One Health approach that acknowledges the interconnections between wildlife, humans and the environment.