Research

Overview

The bacteriology research faculty of the Department of Pathobiological Sciences investigates a wide variety of bacterial species and their hosts.  Research projects include the following bacteria: Anaplasma species, Brucella species, Ehrlichia species, Mycobacterium species, Rickettsia species, Bartonella henselae, Borrelia burgdorferi, Edwardsiella ictaluri, Flavobacterium columnare, Helicobacter hepaticus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Legionella pneumophila, Photobacterium damselae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, and E. coli O157:H7. Molecular mechanisms are used by the group to identify virulence factors, pathogenicity islands, diagnostic tools and vaccine candidates to aid in the eventual control, clearance, or eradication of these bacterial pathogens.

Overview

Research in the area of immunology in the department focuses on the response of the immune system to bacterial, parasitic and viral pathogens. Topics of research interest in this area include evasion of the immune response and persistence, molecular mechanisms underlying inflammatory responses and vaccine development for a variety of microbial pathogens. Specific research programs include:  vaccine design for Brucella Abortus, West Nile Virus, Dengue Virus, Herpes viruses and Bovine Coronavirus and Herpesvirus Type-1. The lymphocyte-mediated response to Bartonella and nematode infection, the analysis of the innate and adaptive immune response to respiratory syncytial virus and human metapneumovirus infections, as well as the study of the innate immune/inflammatory response in the lung to bacterial infection are also investigated.

Supporting facilities for immunology research in the Department include Flow Cytometry facility, the histology laboratory, the microscope center, the Division of Laboratory Animal Medicine, BSL-3 suites, a centralized cell and tissue culture laboratory and the Division of Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine (BioMMED) that includes centralized facilities for molecular biology (GeneLab), whole animal in vivo Imaging, recombinant viral vectors, and the antibody production and purification facilities.

Overview

Louisiana is one of the states in the U. S. which has high prevalence of pulmonary diseases, such as pneumonia, asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD). These diseases have high mortality, morbidity and health care costs. Therefore, improved treatment and/or prevention strategies are warranted. Identification of mechanisms underlying these diseases is a prerequisite for the development of new treatment and/or prevention strategies. The Lung Biology laboratories seek to identify the novel mechanisms of lung inflammation and host defense, and explore how these mechanisms may be exploited to develop novel treatment and prevention strategies. The scientific focus of the members working in Lung Biology range from innate immunity, adaptive immunity and immunotherapy. The Lung Biology group in the School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM) uses vertically integrated experimental cutting edge methodologies aimed at dissecting lung inflammation and host defense with expertise ranging from cell culture to animal (in vivo) models. Their combined research is supported by more than $8 million in grant funds.  We are interested in enthusiastic undergraduate students, summer scholars, graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. Please contact faculty members for potential openings in lung biology laboratories.

CENTER FOR LUNG BIOLOGY AND DISEASE

Overview

The faculty members in parasitology have diverse research interests and involvements that can be integrated into a uniquely broad graduate training program in parasitology. Opportunities for study range from fundamental aspects of parasite systematics, population biology, and field epidemiology to laboratory approaches to the molecular biology and host response to animal and human parasitic diseases. Association with SVM's diagnostic service laboratories provides a broad opportunity to gain proficiency in current diagnostic methods of parasites of the major domestic animals, laboratory, zoo, exotic animals and aquatic/marine animals.

Overview

This section consists of pathologists with expertise in diagnostic (anatomic) pathology. The principal research focus of the section is to provide collaborative support to investigators working in a wide range of cell and animal studies. Particular areas of expertise include bovine respiratory diseases, inhalation toxicology, animal models of infectious and neoplastic diseases, viral pathogenesis and diagnostics, cytology of fungal/oomycotic diseases, and comparative pathology of all species, including aquatic animals. This work is supported by fully equipped necropsy and histology facilities and an immunohistochemical and in situ hybridization laboratory.

Overview

The Department has several faculty that conduct research on a number of vector-borne pathogens. Opportunities exist for laboratory and field training in ecology, pathogenesis, and molecular biology of the most severe emerging and reemerging vector-borne diseases. A strong research emphasis on arthropod-borne pathogens includes tick-borne spotted fever group Rickettsia, Borrelia burgdorferi, and Ehrlichia spp.; flea-borne Bartonella and Rickettsia; and mosquito-borne filariasis and viruses (Dengue fever, chikungunya, West Nile, Eastern Equine encephalitis and St. Louis encephalitis). Within the Department of Pathobiological Sciences many of these pathogens are maintained in laboratory culture or in animal models for research studies. Additionally, the Department is strengthened by an established Geographical Information Systems group which provides another opportunity for research interests in vector biology.

Overview

PBS has substantial expertise and resources in virology including molecular virology, immunopathogenesis and vaccinology of human and animal viruses. Topics of research interest include the molecular genetics and cell biology of human and animal herpesviruses, the structure and function of herpes and coronavirus-specified glycoproteins involved in membrane fusion and virion morphogenesis, viral vectorology for gene and cancer therapy. virally-vectored vaccines for West Nile virus, and simian retroviruses, neuro-immunopathogenesis of mouse and simian retroviruses, immunopathogenesis of respiratory syncytial virus and human metapneumovirus, viral epidemiology, and immunological aspects of synergistic relationships between human immunodeficiency virus and other opportunistic pathogens. This group of ten faculty members are funded by NIH, USDA, and other state and private sources. Virology faculty participate in the LSU-Tulane NIH Center for Experimental Infectious Disease Research, which is administered by the Division of Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine of the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine and has collaborating faculty and core facilities at the Tulane National Primate Research Center in Covington, Louisiana. Supporting facilities for virology research include flow cytometry facility, the histology laboratory, the microscope center, the laboratory animal medicine, BSL-3 suites, a centralized cell and tissue culture laboratory and the Biotechnology and Molecular Medicine Center that includes the laboratories for gene expression system, whole animal in vivo imaging, the viral vector, and the antibody production and purification facilities.