Pathobiological Sciences (Graduate Program)

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 January 1 for matriculation in the fall semester and September 1 for the following spring semester.

Graduate Faculty

(check current faculty listings by department here)

Basel Abuaita (6A) • Host-pathogen interactions with the human pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella enteric species.
Linda B. Adams (3F) • Immunology of mycobacterial infections
William Beavers (6A) • Host-pathogen interactions, bacterial infections, mass spectrometry, metabolomics and lipidomics.
David G. Baker (M) • Laboratory animal medicine, infectious diseases of laboratory animals, cost accounting in animal facilities
Udeni B. R. Balasuriya (M) • Molecular virology, Nidoviruses, virus-host interactions, viral pathogenesis.
William Beavers (6A) • Chemical microbiology of Staphylococcus aureus pathogenesis focused on antibacterial protein post-translational modifications at the host-pathogen interface.
Mariano Carossino (6A) • Veterinary and Comparative Pathology, and Virology. Pathogenesis and immunopathology of RNA viruses combining translational animal models and modern, molecular 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
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.
Weishan Huang (6A) • Innate and adapti Immune response to viral infections including influenza and SARS-CoV-2. Molecular sensors for diagnosis of infectious diseases.
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. Oncolytic immune-virotherapy for cancer (breast cancer, melanoma).
Ingeborg Langohr (M) • Inflammatory response in neoplastic and infectious diseases through use of both spontaneous and induced animal models
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
Alma Faye Roy (3F) • Laboratory diagnosis of infectious diseases as related to animal disease agents and public health, with emphasis in molecular diagnostic medicine
Emi Sasaki (6A) • Veterinary Pathology, major interest is infectious diseases of both domestic and non-domestic animals.
Adriano Vatta (7M) • Veterinary parasitology; management of gastrointestinal parasites of livestock in the face of anthelmintic resistance
Nanny Wenzlow (6A) • Anatomic Veterinary Pathology, Forensic Veterinary Pathology.
Diana L. Williams (3P) • Bacterial Pathogenesis

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.

Programs

• Biomedical and Veterinary Medical Sciences- Pathobiological Sciences, M.S.

• Biomedical and Veterinary Medical Sciences-Pathobiological Sciences, Ph.D.