Important and surprising research shows, for the first time, that white-tailed deer carry malaria. This study was co-led by the Smithsonian's National Zoo, University of Vermont, and other institutions. The lead author on the study was Ellen Martinsen, who completed her undergrad and PhD work at UVM in the lab of Dr. Joe Schall and is now a research scientist at the Smithsonian and an adjunct in UVM’s biology department. Schall was a co-author. Major media outlets picked up the story including Field & Stream, The Scientist, R&D, and many others.