Farzin Ahmadi, Ph.D., assistant professor of healthcare management at Towson University, is the co-author of a study on measles surveillance published Sept. 15 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). The article, “Tracking County-Level Measles Cases in the U.S.,” was selected as an Editor’s Choice feature, appearing on the first page of the journal. 

The research responds to the nation’s largest measles outbreak in more than three decades. At the time the final paper was submitted, 1,356 confirmed cases had been reported across 42 jurisdictions. The number has risen to 1,522 cases as of Sept. 29 according to the dashboard. To support public health officials and the broader community, Dr. Ahmadi and colleagues created a real-time, county-level tracking system and interactive dashboard. 

The project builds on the team’s expertise developing the widely recognized Johns Hopkins COVID-19 Dashboard, which received international attention and earned the Lasker Award. 

This high-profile publication highlights Towson University’s growing impact in healthcare research and its commitment to addressing urgent public health challenges. 

The dashboard was created in collaboration with Johns Hopkins professors Dr. Ensheng Dong (JHU and Rand) and Dr. Lauren M. Gardner (JHU). Read the full journal article here.