51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ

Patricia Cruz, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at the 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ School of Public Health.  Since 1995, she has conducted research in microbiology focused on enhanced methods for the detection of environmental fungi that pose a potential risk to human health. Cruz is a co-inventor of a patented method for the detection and quantification of fungi of indoor air quality concern. She has conducted research involving antibiotic-resistant microorganisms and oral pathogens. She is the co-director of the Emerging Diseases Laboratory at 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ and the laboratory lead scientist of the 51³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Public Health Laboratory. She has taught graduate-level courses in environmental health, food safety, and diseases that changed the world. Cruz received her Ph.D. from the University of Nevada, Reno.