Dickson D. Despommier (born June 5, 1940) is an emeritus professor of microbiology and Public Health at Columbia University.^[1] From 1971 to 2009, he conducted research on intracellular parasitism and taught courses on parasitic diseases, medical ecology and ecology. Despommier has received media coverage for his ideas on vertical farming.^[2][3]

Despommier has research interest in the ecotone, a transition area between two biomes, as a zone of high disease transmission and also in the spread of schistosomiasis, malaria, and a variety of helminths (ascaris, hookworm, trichuris) in agricultural areas. Despommier has studied the ecology of West Nile virus with a focus on related patterns of weather.^[1][4]

Research and findings on Trichinella spiralis, the causative agent of trichinosis, have resulted in a large body of literature. Despommier is especially known for his research findings in this area which led to numerous advances in the understanding of the "muscle stage" of the organism, and how it maintains itself in the host for long periods of time in the Nurse cell/parasite complex (weeks to years in some cases).

He developed his concept of vertical farming over a 10-year period with graduate students in a medical ecology class beginning in 1999, with work continued by designer Chris Jacobs and Ontarian eco-architect Gordon Graff^[5][6] from the University of Waterloo's School of Architecture.

In June 2008 Despommier appeared on the "Colbert Report", where he described the concept of vertical farming to Stephen Colbert.^[7][8]

He is a regular panel-member of the podcast This Week in Virology,^[9] produced by his colleague Vincent Racaniello.

Despommier has authored or co-authored ten books:

• Despommier, Dickson D. (1967). The in Vivo in Vitro Analysis of Acquired Resistance to Trichinella Spiralis Infections in Mice. University of Notre Dame, April.
• Despommier, Dickson D. (2001). West Nile Story. Apple Trees Productions. ISBN 978-0-9700027-1-6.
• Despommier, Dickson (2010). The Vertical Farm: Feeding the World in the 21st Century. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 978-0-312-61139-2.^[10]
• Despommier, Dickson D.; Karapelou, John W. (1987). Parasite Life Cycles. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 0-387-96486-X.
• Katz, M.; Despommier, Dickson D.; Gwadz, Robert (1989). Parasitic Diseases 2nd ed. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 978-1-4684-0470-8.
• Despommier, Dickson D.; Hotez, Peter; Gwadz, Robert (1994). Parasitic Diseases, 3rd ed. Springer Sciences & Business Media. ISBN 0-387-94223-8.
• Despommier, Dickson D.; Gwadz, Robert; Hotez, Peter; Knirsch, Charles (2000). Parasitic Diseases 4th ed. Apple Trees Productions, LLC. ISBN 097000270X.
• Despommier, Dickson D.; Gwadz, Robert; Hotez, Peter; Knirsch, Charles (2006). Parasitic Diseases 5th ed. Apple Trees Productions, LLC. ISBN 0-9700027-7-7.
• Despommier, Dickson D.; Griffin, Daniel; Gwadz, Robert; Hotez, Peter; Knirsch, Charles (2017). Parasitic Diseases (6th ed.). ISBN 978-0-9978400-0-1.
• Despommier, Dickson D. (2013). People, Parasites, and Plowshares: Learning From Our Body's Most Terrifying Invaders. Columbia University Press. ISBN 978-0-231-53526-7.
• Despommier, Dickson D. (2023). The New City: How to Build Our Sustainable Urban Future. Columbia University Press. ISBN 978-0-231-20550-4.

Chapters by Despommier:

• Despommier, D. (2020). Vertical farming systems for urban agriculture. In: Wiskerke, J. S. C. Achieving sustainable urban agriculture. Cambridge: Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing. ISBN 978-1-78676-316-7