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Texas State University’s Rodney E. Rohde, Ph.D., explains how understanding virus evolution can help us predict and prepare for future global outbreaks.  

December 10, 2025

Rodney E. Rohde, Ph.D., is a university distinguished professor and chair of the Medical Laboratory Science Program at TXST. He is an expert in virology, public health and clinical microbiology, MRSA research, and epidemiology, and has been recognized with teaching excellence. His teaching and research are integrated between clinical microbiology and MDx.  

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This interview was taken from a Faculty Experts video and has been edited for brevity.

Why is virology so important?  

RR: Virology is critically important in today's society. As we all know, we have almost monthly or even weekly discoveries or outbreaks of new viral agents as well as bacterial and fungal agents and so forth.

Without virus discovery and research, we wouldn't be able to, one, diagnostically predict what's coming out of wildlife or other types of reservoirs. Two, we would have a difficult time creating preventative vaccines and therapies. And ultimately, thirdly, we wouldn't be able to manage or effectively help with managing those types of global health outbreaks around the world.

How is technology helping modern virology keep pace with fast-changing viruses?  

RR: Without tools in virology, whether it's mRNA technology, whether it's AI intersecting with messenger RNA technology, we would be kind of behind the evolutionary ability of viruses. Now, we are able to stay up with it in real time and create those types of important research discoveries that help save lives. 

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