Research
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Infectious Diseases

Infectious diseases are an important cause of production losses in animals. Some animal diseases are even transmissible to people. Scientists in the department study infectious diseases common to livestock, fish, and even oysters. By learning how a bacteria, virus, or parasite causes a disease or by learning how the animal resists the disease, scientists can develop vaccines or pharmaceutical compounds that help prevent or treat infected animals.

For more information on infectious diseases please contact Drs. Philip Elzer, Jerome LaPeyre, William Todd, Ronald Thune, and Christine Navarre

Parasitology:

Parasitic diseases of cattle, horses, sheep, and goats rob our livestock of their full production potential. Our parasitologists work to develop control measures which are effective in eliminating many types of parasites in domestic livestock and shellfish.

For more information on parasitology please contact: Drs. Thomas Klei, James Miller, Jerome LaPeyre.

Diagnostic:

Disease diagnosis is important in stopping the production losses due to a number of infectious and parasitic diseases of livestock, fish, and oysters. Early and accurate diagnostic tests allow producers, veterinarians, and others to limit disease spread and maximize the application of effective treatments and vaccines. Our scientists attempt to develop diagnostic tests that are easy to use in the field and capable of providing very rapid and accurate results.

For more information on diagnostic please contact: Drs. William Todd and Philip Elzer.

Gene Therapy:

Gene Therapy refers to using genes or DNA in an animal to cause the production of useful protein molecules which may act as a vaccine, or which may function as an antimicrobial drug or enzyme. In some instances the animal itself can become a bio factory for the production of a protein. Our scientists are using animals and animal cells to produce proteins which protect animals against bacterial and viral diseases or for the production of hormones and anticancer proteins.

For more information on Therapy please contact: Drs. Richard Cooper and Fred Enright.