Veterinary & Biomedical Science RESEARCH
Research in the Department of Veterinary Science spans a spectrum from applied and translational research to fundamental cellular and molecular investigations. Our research is valuable for improving animal and human health, increasing the global competitiveness of the U.S. agricultural production system, and advancing biomedical sciences. Current research focuses on animal host defense against infectious diseases, bovine reproductive efficiency and disease control, the diagnosis and detection of animal disease with a focus on livestock, and immunobiology.
Faculty have numerous ongoing externally-funded research projects related to understanding the mechanism of host defense against infectious diseases, responses to environmental and dietary toxicants, and the regulation of cell growth and differentiation. The department holds a nationally recognized E. coli Reference Center in which state-of-the-art molecular technology is used for research on food safety to develop medical diagnostics and to understand the epidemiology of human and animal diseases.
An emphasis of the department's applied and translational research is to increase bovine reproductive efficiency and to control mastitis, both causes of significant economic loss. Endocrinologic, immunologic, nutritional, and physiologic studies are underway to understand the factors involved in reproductive loss, susceptibility to mastitis, and the immune system factors that either increase or help to control clinical disease. The department maintains a mastitis-free dairy herd in the Center for Mastitis Research.
Another area of research focuses n the diagnosis of animal diseases. Emphasis is placed on the detection and prevention of avian viral and bacterial diseases that are of economic importance to the U.S. poultry producers. New and more rapid molecular and immunological methods are being developed in the Poultry Diagnostic Laboratory for strain and species-specific diagnoses of avian influenza and microbiological diseases. The goal of this research is to improve the specificity, sensitivity, and turn-around time of diagnoses, thus helping to limit disease outbreaks.
Similarly, a research goal of the Animal Diagnostic Laboratory is to improve the detection of the diseases of livestock. Research is focused on developing genotype-specific diagnostic reagents for bacterial, parasitic and viral diseases. Several avenues of fundamental research are being conducted that are relevant to improving animal and human nutrition and understanding the regulation of cell growth and the response of animals and humans to environmental toxins.
An immunobiology research project on red blood cell development based on pharmacologic approaches and advances in biotechnology is underway. Other projects focused on immunobiology cover the response of macrophages and neutrophils to infection; the regulation of immune factor production and cellular response; mechanisms of viral infection in animals and humans; new means to enhance antibody production and cell-mediated immunity; the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which micronutrients (vitamins A, E and selenium) alter immunity; and the host response to oxidative damage and infectious diseases. Fundamental research projects in the area of molecular toxicology address the cellular mechanisms through which environmental pollutants and dietary constituents are toxic and/or carcinogenic to animals and humans. These investigations are expected to increase the accuracy of risk prediction and lead to new strategies for prevention of disease.
