Research Focus
Victoria “Tori” Baxter, DVM, PhD, examines the pathogenesis of and host immune response to emerging infectious diseases, particularly encephalitic arboviruses. Her research primarily focuses on understanding both the pathogen and host factors that contribute to disease development and severity through the use of mouse models. She is especially fascinated by the “double edged sword” phenomenon seen with many viruses, where the immune system simultaneously plays both protective and pathogenic roles when responding to infection. As a veterinarian-scientist, Dr. Baxter is additionally interested in understanding the genetic and environmental factors that affect animal research studies in order to improve the translatability of animal models so that they better reflect human responses.