Sara is a veterinarian and epidemiologist with special interest in the application of spatiotemporal modeling and network analysis to understand infectious disease dynamics. Sara has worked across multiple species, production sectors and geographic contexts, including projects in North America, Europe, South-East Asia, South Africa and South America, collaborating with academic, government and industry partners.
At the Center for Applied One Health Research and Policy Advice (OHRP) she led epidemiological analyses of poultry production networks in Gujarat, India and supported surveillance data integration in Mpumalanga province, South Africa. During her PhD at The Ohio State University, Sara reconstructed the first empirical network of US cattle movements and developed stochastic simulation models to evaluate Salmonella Dublin transmission and control strategies. In parallel, she led industry-partnered projects in Spain and Brazil, using high-resolution GPS and surveillance data to identify biosecurity risks and inform surveillance. Sara has authored multiple peer-reviewed publications and presented her work at various international conferences.
Sara joined EpiMundi in 2026, where she applies her expertise in infectious disease modelling, network analysis and quantitative risk assessment to support clients in strengthening surveillance and improving disease preparedness. She is particularly passionate about developing analytical tools and open-access platforms to support scientific communication and evidence-based decision-making in One Health systems.
Specialty Areas
- Veterinary Epidemiology
- Data management and information systems
- Network analysis
- Infectious disease modelling
- Stakeholder engagement and capacity building
- Training and facilitation
Highlights
- Reconstructed and analysed a national-scale network of thousands of interstate calf movements in the United States to quantify disease transmission risk and evaluate targeted intervention strategies for Salmonella Dublin.
- Consulted for commercial poultry and swine systems, respectively in Spain and Brazil, analysing real-time GPS data from vehicles and personnel to reconstruct contact networks to quantify pathogen introduction risk and identify critical control points (collaboration with Animal Data Analytics).
- Contributed international research on poultry trade networks and pathogen risk in live bird shops in India, supporting surveillance and control strategies.
- Elected member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine (2024-2026), contributing to leadership, strategic planning and professional engagement initiatives within the international veterinary epidemiology community.
- Nominee, Graduate Associate Leadership Award at The Ohio State University, recognizing leadership, research excellence and impact within the academic community.
- Runner-up, Research Topics Session, American Association of Swine Veterinarians (AASV) Annual Meeting 2026, recognizing applied research on biosecurity risks and vehicle movement networks in commercial swine systems.
- Co-Investigator on a $422,000 USDA National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (NADPRP 2025) funded project to identify biosecurity risks in U.S. livestock markets and develop evidence-based surveillance and outreach strategies for disease prevention.
Publications
- Sequeira SC, Arevalo-Mayorga A, Locke SR, Habing G, Arruda AG. Navigating complexity: Salmonella Dublin risks factors in a Midwestern U.S. calf movement system. 2025. Journal of Dairy Science. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2025-27055
- Sequeira SC, Paleja H, Koringa P, Golaviya A, Panchal KJ, Chapot L, Tomley F, Blake D, Pfeiffer DU, Fournie G, Conan A. A risk-based framework for Live Bird Shops (LBSs) in Gujarat, India: Identifying pathogen entry and exposure risk profiles. 2025. Preventive Veterinary Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106661
- Locke SR, Wilson DJ, Arevalo A, Sequeira SC, Pempek J, Arruda AG, Habing G. Understanding challenges and strengths in the post-dairy farm surplus calf value chain: an interview study. 2025. Journal of Dairy Science. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2025-26642
- Sequeira SC, Sebunia N, Page JR, Lasisi T, Habing G, Arruda AG. 2025. A systematic scoping review and thematic analysis: How can livestock and poultry movement networks inform disease surveillance and control at the global scale? PLoS One. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0328518
- Phillips K, Sequeira SC, G. Habing, Arruda AG. 2025. Characterizing state-level patterns of interstate certificates of veterinary inspection exceptions across the United States. Preventive Veterinary Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106593
- Sequeira SC, Locke SR, Habing G, Arruda AG. Combining different sources of movement data to strengthen traceability and disease surveillance. 2025. Preventive Veterinary Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2025.106442