Interview with Devin Bowes
Devin Bowes is an assistant professor at the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina, and a former CFD postdoctoral associate. Her work pioneers the field of wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), where she leverages community wastewater to analyze human excreted biomarkers indicative of various aspects of human health at population-scale in order to encourage inclusive and data-driven decision-making. With the recent publication of her work co-written with CFD director Dr. Muhammad Zaman, “Considerations for conducting wastewater-based public health assessments in migrant populations”, CFD communications fellow Autumn Bachofen sat down with Devin for an interview.
CFD Team: Tell us a little bit about yourself. What led you to do the work you are doing today?
I grew up playing multiple sports and later played lacrosse in college. My experiences as an athlete ultimately led me to pursue a career where I can help others achieve good health. When I graduated with my B.S. in Nutrition & Dietetics, I knew that it was only the beginning, and I wanted to learn more about human health as a function of our community and environment. Eventually, this led me to pursue a PhD at Arizona State University that focused on using an unusual sample to understand the health of communities: wastewater. I learned that by assessing wastewater for human biomarkers that indicate various aspects of our health and the environments that surround us, we can gain a more comprehensive view of population-level health and be able to more rapidly respond to public health priorities, such as an emerging pathogen.
CFD Team: Where does the Center on Forced Displacement fit into your story? What was your work experience with us, and what insights did you gain during your time?
I pursued a postdoctoral position at the Center on Forced Displacement because I wanted to expand the knowledge and skillset learned ‘at the bench’ during my PhD and apply it in real-world contexts with a deep meaning. I was drawn by the description of working in migrant populations. Prior to joining CFD, I did not have any experience in this space, and I learned a tremendous amount about global health from the amazing colleagues I had the pleasure of working with. It was truly fantastic to see how I could fit in despite my background being different, which speaks volumes to the level of dedication that CFD has to conducting and promoting highly interdisciplinary research teams.
CFD Team: Your article is about water-based epidemiology. How would you explain this to someone who has never heard of this concept before?
Wastewater-based epidemiology builds on a familiar concept where an individual may seek healthcare attention, such as visiting a doctor, if they are feeling unwell. The symptoms that are reported by that individual are documented by the doctor, which will then likely prompt some further investigation, such as asking for a biological sample (urine, blood, stool) from the individual to take a deeper look at what might be going on. Those results will then complement what was reported by the individual, which then can support a final diagnosis or ruling-out of a particular disease or condition. For WBE, simply replace the individual with a population. Everyone uses the bathroom, and in most situations, that excreted waste makes its way to some type of sewer pipe network. That sewage can be collected and analyzed for the same biomarkers that would be assessed in that individual clinical setting as previously described. Ultimately, we can “diagnose” problems at population-level, offering a way to understand community-level health and metabolism in a manner that is not invasive (no needle stick), inclusive, and rapid to support more effective public health strategies.
CFD Team: If you had to choose, what is the one thing you wish people would take away from this article?
I hope to continue to spread the word about wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE). Its success in continuing to make progress hinges on public acceptance and awareness. I truly believe the benefits that WBE can offer will significantly reduce overall societal burden, particularly in the context of disease prevalence.
CFD Team: What are your hopes for the future of water-based epidemiology, especially as it relates to forced displacement?
I hope to continue to forge ahead efforts to bring WBE programs to populations experiencing forced displacement and along migratory pathways. This will not only serve to provide data on the health of these populations while en route, but it will hopefully allow us to learn new insights on dynamics of disease transmission, and exposures that contribute to incidence of non-communicable diseases and other conditions such as mental health.
CFD Team: What are your plans going forward?
I am now an Assistant Professor at the University of South Carolina, and aim to continue work in this space in partnership with CFD to help bring established WBE programs focused on supporting public health strategies to communities experiencing forced displacement across the globe.
CFD Team: Is there something you wish to add that I didn’t ask?
For more detailed information, please check out our latest paper published in the Journal of Environmental Exposures Assessment! Feel free to contact me directly at dbowes@mailbox.sc.edu for further questions.