James KeckMD, MPH

Adjunct Research Professor
Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Denali Tower North
(907) 729-2455

Education

  • Iowa State University, B.S. in Biology and B.A. in Philosophy
  • University of Minnesota Medical School, M.D.
  • Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, M.P.H.
  • Internal Medicine/Pediatrics Internship, University of Minnesota
  • General Preventive Medicine Residency, Johns Hopkins University
  • Family Medicine Residency, Tufts-affiliated Carney Hospital, Boston

Biography

I am a health scientist with a primary appointment as a Research Physician at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. I bring research expertise in population health, epidemiology, clinical medicine, and translational science developed through advanced training in Family Medicine, Preventive Medicine, and epidemiology. I am also a guest researcher at the CDC's Arctic Investigations Program, and I look to increase research collaboration across Alaska's Tribal, academic, and governmental health organizations.

Research Interests

My research coalesces around and blends the themes of 1) environment and health, 2) infectious disease epidemiology, 3) disease prevention and public health, and 4) remote and rural populations. The common thread connecting these themes is a goal of improving the health of rural and remote communities through translational and transdisciplinary team science.

Publications

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Keck JW, Adatorwovor R, Liversedge M, Mijotavich B, Olsson C, Strike WD,鈥� Amirsoleimani A, Noble A , Torabi S, Rockward A, Smith T, Lacy P, Berry S. Wastewater Surveillance for Identifying SARS-CoV-2 Infections in Kentucky Long-Term Care Facilities, 2021-2022. Emerg Infect Dis. 2024 Mar.

Short M, Dobson J, Day G, Lefferts B, Singleton R, Keck JW. 鈥淵ou can feel the fresh air鈥︹€� Rural Alaska Native household perceptions of home air purifiers and health. Int J Circumpolar Health March 2024;83(1).

Cong B, Ko莽 U, Bandeira T, Bassat Q, Bont L, Chakhunashvili G, et al. Changes in the global hospitalisation burden of respiratory syncytial virus in young children during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic analysis. Lancet Infect Dis. 2024 Apr;24(4):361-374. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(23)00630-8. Epub 2023 Dec 20.

Keck JW, Lacy ME, Bressler S, Blake I, Chukwuma U, Bruce MG. COVID-19 infection and incident diabetes in American Indian and Alaska Native people: a retrospective cohort study. Lancet Reg Health Am. 2024 Apr 3;33:100727. doi: 10.1016/j.lana.2024.100727.

Jackson BD, Miernyk K, Steinberg J, Beaudry J, Christensen L, Chukwuma U, Clichee D, Damon S, Farrenkopf BA, Hurley C, Luna J, Simons B, Singleton R, Thomas M, VanDeRiet D, Weatherholtz R, Zeger S, Zylstra S, Keck J, Hammitt Haemophilus influenzae Type b Vaccine Immunogenicity in American Indian/Alaska Native Infants. Pediatrics. 2024 Oct 1;154(4):e2024066658. doi: 10.1542/peds.2024-066658.

Lefferts B, Bressler S, Keck JW, Desnoyers C, et al. Nirsevimab Effectiveness Against Medically Attended Respiratory Syncytial Virus Illness and Hospitalization Among Alaska Native Children 鈥� Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta Region, Alaska, October 2023鈥揓une 2024. MMWR. 2024 Nov 14;73;45. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm7345a1

Alameh S, Hoover AG, Keck JW, et al. Bringing Pandemic Science to the Classroom: Building Public Health Capacity at a Rural Kentucky High School. Public Health Rep. 2025;0(0). doi:10.1177/00333549241302621

Zhao C, Zhang T, Guo L, Sun S, Miao Y, Yung CF, Tomlinson J, Stolyarov K, Shchomak Z, Poovorawan Y, Nokes DJ, Mu帽oz-Almagro C, Mandelboim M, Keck JW, Langley JM, Heikkinen T, Deng J, Colson P, Chakhunashvili G, Caballero MT, Bont L, Feikin DR, Nair H, Wang X, Li Y; Respiratory Virus Global Epidemiology Network. Characterising the asynchronous resurgence of common respiratory viruses following the COVID-19 pandemic. Nat Commun. 2025 Feb 13;16(1):1610. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-56776-z.

Tucker SG, May B, Liversedge M, Berry S, Keck JW, Hoover AG. COVID-19 Risk and Crisis Communication Challenges and Opportunities: Qualitative Insights from Rural Wastewater Surveillance Partners. Disaster Med Public Health Prep. 2025 Feb 19;19:e41. doi: 10.1017/dmp.2025.36.

Career History/Work Experience

  • University of Kentucky (Clinical Faculty in the Department of Family and Community Medicine)
  • Partners In Health - Malawi
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Faculty & Staff