Amy L. Baker

Biosketch

Amy L. Baker, DVM, PhD, is a research veterinary medical officer and lead scientist at the USDA-ARS National Animal Disease Center (NADC). She earned her BS at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green in 1993; an MS at Iowa State University in Ames in 1997; a DVM at Iowa State University in Ames in 2002; and a PhD at Iowa State University in Ames in 2004. She was a post-doctoral associate at USDA-ARS NADC in swine virology from 2004-06. She joined NADC as a Research Veterinary Medical Officer in 2006. She is an Affiliate Associate Professor, in the Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Preventive Medicine at Iowa State University. She is a member of the American Association of Swine Veterinarians, the National Academy of Medicine and the NAS. Awards include 2024 Distinguished Senior Research Scientist of the Year USDA-ARS; 2022 Stange Alumni Award, College of Veterinary Medicine Iowa State University; 2022 Honorary Diplomate of the American Veterinary Epidemiology Society; 2019 Arthur S. Flemming Award; 2013 USDA Secretary’s Honor Award, response to H7N9; 2011 American Association of Swine Veterinarians Howard Dunne Memorial Award; 2010 USDA Secretary’s Honor Award, H1N1 Coordination Group; 2010 USDA ARS Midwest Area Early Career Scientist Award; 2009 USDA ARS Special Administrator’s Award, ARS H1N1 Influenza Virus Research Team.

Research Interests

Dr. Baker conducts research to characterize the ecology, evolution, emergence, and pathogenesis of influenza A virus (IAV) in swine and the risk for interspecies transmission. Her research is also focused on developing and evaluating detection and intervention strategies for swine to prevent or control IAV. IAV represents a unique virus that is a pathogen to pigs, humans, and numerous other species, requiring cross-disciplinary approaches and multiple influenza sector engagement. These studies focus on IAV in the natural swine host, in ferrets, and at the swine and human interface, including endemic swine strains as well as emerging threats like high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI). Dr. Baker actively contributes to the USDA influenza surveillance system in swine and as a collaborator with public health and influenza researchers with other hosts of interest to assess risk of interspecies transmission and pandemic potential to humans. Dr. Baker recently joined the USDA ARS response to the 2024 outbreak of HPAI H5N1 in dairy cattle by developing experimental challenge models in calves and lactating cows and evaluating vaccine interventions in lactating cows.