Dr. Richard French is a veterinary pathologist and director of the New Hampshire Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. He came to the University of New Hampshire in the summer of 2008 after serving as a tenured faculty at the University of Connecticut and as a pathologist in the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory. He acquired a DVM from the University of Illinois and went into small animal practice for several years before returning to academics. Dr. French received a Masters in parasitology, a PhD in neuropathology and completed his residency in anatomic pathology. He is a member of the USDA National Animal Health Emergency Response Corp. and serves as a member of the United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as an expert in the Emergency Prevention Systems (EMPRES) for Transboundary Animal and Plant Pests. His primary interests are in emerging zoonotic and transboundary diseases of animal and public health significance. Dr. French has numerous publications in broad fields which includes the first report of West Nile virus in the northern hemisphere (Science, 1999).

Dialogue Essay: War of the Worlds: Our Worlds are Colliding and Infectious Disease is Winning - Emerging Diseases and the One Health Initiative