2021-2022 General Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Pathobiological Sciences (Graduate Program)
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Program Overview
The graduate academic and research programs of the Department of Pathobiological Sciences (PBS) are designed to develop intellectual abilities and research skills through investigations of infectious diseases of humans and animals. The interdisciplinary faculty—with expertise in molecular biology and biotechnology of infectious diseases, bacteriology, parasitology, immunology, virology, vector borne diseases, epidemiology, and pathology—along with well-equipped laboratories and animal facilities, provide a stimulating environment for graduate training.
Depending upon their interests, students choose courses with an emphasis on immunology and molecular virology, bacterial or viral pathogenesis, parasitology and parasite-induced diseases, or epidemiology and community health. Communication skills are fostered through active research discussion groups, interdisciplinary seminars, oral examinations, presentation of papers at scientific meetings, and publication of research findings. This academic and scientific program develops scientists who are able to contribute to the improved health of humans as well as food producing, companion, laboratory, and aquatic animals.
The department offers a residency program along with a graduate degree program in both anatomic pathology and clinical pathology. A residency program in laboratory animal medicine is available through the Division of Laboratory Animal Medicine within the School of Veterinary Medicine.
Administration
Admission
Applications and supporting materials for all graduate study must be submitted through the online application site for the LSU Graduate School. Official transcripts, official test scores, and other materials that come from third-party sources must be mailed to: LSU Office of Graduate Admissions, 114 West David Boyd Hall, Baton Rouge, LA 70803. These paper documents are stored electronically and departments have access to all materials submitted by and/or on behalf of a student applying to graduate study.
Applications are accepted at any time but are evaluated only after all supporting documents and credentials have been received. Application should be initiated at least six months prior to anticipated entry. By the time of admission, applicants should have earned a minimum of a baccalaureate degree that includes training in general biology, microbiology, biochemistry, genetics, and inorganic, organic, and analytical chemistry. Statistics is also recommended.
Students must meet the acceptance criteria outlined by the LSU Graduate School and the following PBS requirements (GPAs are rounded to nearest tenth). Applicants must score at least 150 on both the verbal and quantitative portions of the GRE and have an overall GPA of at least 3.2 or at least 154 on both the verbal and quantitative portions of the GRE and a GPA of 3.0. Non-English speaking foreign nationals must have a TOEFL score of at least 550 on the paper-based test, 213 on the computer-based test, or 79 on the Internet-based test, an IELTS score of at least 6.5, or PTE score of at least 59. Application must include a curriculum vitae, statement of interest, transcripts, GRE scores, TOEFL/IELTS/PTE scores (for international students), and three letters of reference.
Financial Assistance
Stipends, fellowships, and assistantships from various sources are available on a competitive basis for both masters and doctoral students. Applicants seeking stipend support should submit their application by February 1 for matriculation in the fall semester and September 1 for the following spring semester.
Graduate Faculty
(check current faculty listings by department here)
Linda B. Adams (3F) • Immunology of mycobacterial infections
Joel D. Baines (M) • Virology, molecular biology and pathogenesis of herpes virus
David G. Baker (M) • Laboratory animal medicine, infectious diseases of laboratory animals, cost accounting in animal facilities
Michael Behnke (6A) • Developmental regulation of the medically relevant parasite Toxoplasma gondii, from the rapidly growing tachyzoite, to the slow growing bradyzoite cyst, through to the enteric/sexual stages.This includes new in vitro approaches to study host-parasite biology of the enteric stages that occur within the intestines of definitive hosts.
Annadora Bruce-Keller (3F) • Pathology
Shafiqul Chowdhury (M) • Molecular virology, neurovirology, neuro-pathogenesis and recombinant herpes virus vaccine technology
Rebecca Catherine Christofferson (6A) • expertise is in infectious disease transmission, quantitative methodologies for surveillance & transmission modeling, & data communication
Fabio Del Piero (M) • Pathology comparative pathology and infectious diseases with emphasis on viral disease and zoonotic agents
Patricia L. Dorn (3F) • Population genetics of parasite vectors
Maria Antonieta Guerrero-Plata (M) • Viral immunology, focused on innate immunity, dendritic cells and respiratory viruses
John P. Hawke (M) • Aquatic animal health and bacterial pathogenesis, infectious diseases of aquatic animals, emerging infectious diseases of culture marine and freshwater fish and crustaceans Martin Hugh-Jones (EM)
Samithamby Jeyaseelan (M) • Immunology/Infectious disease, pulmonary inflammation and host defense against bacterial pathogens
Konstantin Gus Kousoulas (M) • Virology and biotechnology, molecular biology and pathogenesis of herpes virus and coronaviruses, application of viral vectors for gene therapy, development of DNA-based methods for diagnosis of infectious disease pathogens and genetic diseases
Ingeborg Langohr (M) • Inflammatory response in neoplastic and infectious diseases through use of both spontaneous and induced animal models
Kevin R. Macaluso (M) • Vector-borne diseases, rickettsial pathogenesis, ecology of tick-and flea-borne rickettsial diseases and how the interactions between arthropods and rickettsiae facilitate pathogen transmission
John B. Malone (M) • Veterinary parasitology, use of geographical information systems (GIS) to detect distribution of parasites and control parasitic and vector-borne diseases
Juan J. Martinez (M) • Adherence of rickettsia to host cells: identification of mammalian receptors for rickettsia adherence.
James E. Miller (M) • Epidemiology, alternative strategies for controlling gastrointestinal nematode parasitism in ruminants, identification of genetic markers for nematode resistance in sheep
Christine B. Navarre (M) • Nutrition infectious diseases and husbandry of small ruminants
Daniel B. Paulsen (3F) • Veterinary Pathology, Bovine respiratory disease (shipping fever), especially the pathogenesis and immunity of disease caused by Mannheimia haemolytica; research using a murine model of asthma and a murine model of neurovirulence in herpes viruses
Karin E Peterson (3F) • Neuropathogenesis of retroviral infections
Alistair J. Ramsay (7M) • Vaccine development and gene therapy
Alma Faye Roy (3F) • Laboratory diagnosis of infectious diseases as related to animal disease agents and public health, with emphasis in molecular diagnostic medicine
Kem B. Singletary (3F)
Ronald L. Thune (M) • Aquatic animal health and bacterial pathogenesis, infectious diseases of aquatic animals, vaccine development in channel catfish and striped bass
Nobuko Wakamatsu Utsuki (3P) • Pathology, pathogenesis of infectious disease pathogens, avian diseases
Diana L. Williams (3P) • Bacterial Pathogenesis
Weishan Huang (6A) Immunology
Degree Programs
This department offers the MS and PhD in Biomedical and Veterinary Medical Sciences with an emphasis in Pathobiological Sciences. Exceptional students may work toward the PhD without first earning an MS. Complete course requirements for the MS and PhD degrees in the Pathobiological Sciences are stated in a document titled “Graduate Program Guidelines” that is provided to each prospective student admitted to the program. This document is available for download on the departmental website and contains significantly more details. A synopsis of classes, etc. for the MS and PhD degree is listed below.
ProgramsMaster of ScienceDoctor of Philosophy
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