Pathobiology

Pathobiology encompasses a diverse complement of disciplines to elucidate mechanisms of host-pathogen interactions. Research leads to tools for detection, control, and prevention of infectious diseases in humans and animals.

Department of Pathobiology

2522 Vet Med Basic Sciences Bldg.
2001 South Lincoln Avenue
Urbana, IL 61802

Raymond “Bob” Rowland, PhD
Professor and Head

Keith Jarosinski, PhD
Associate Professor and
Director of Graduate Programs

Karen Nichols
Administrative Assistant

P: (217) 333-2449 | F: (217) 244-7421

Overview

The Department of Pathobiology addresses complex problems in biomedical and veterinary infectious diseases.

Emphasis is placed on studies of microbiology, immunology, and epidemiology, with the goals of making healthy humans and animals, along with a healthy environment.

In the veterinary professional degree program, the department teaches courses in both the basic science and clinical portions of the second-year curriculum.

The department is the home to the Pathobiology Graduate Program.

Areas of Research

Bacterial/fungal infections, vaccines, and therapeutics

  • Tauqeer Alam Evolution of antimicrobial resistance and virulence in Staphylococcus species
  • Christopher Gaulke  The role of the microbiome in health and disease
  • Lois Hoyer Fungal genomics
  • Gee Lau  Molecular mechanism of virulence in Streptococcus pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa
  • Carol Maddox  Diagnosis of bacterial infections
  • Som Nanjappa Immunological bases for fungal pathogenesis and resistance
  • Weiping Zhang  Intestinal infections of human and swine; novel vaccines for prevention of intestinal infections

Epidemiology and population medicine

  • Gay Miller   Preventative measures for foreign animal diseases
  • Rebecca Smith Tickborne disease prevention; analysis of large datasets
  • Csaba Varga   Spatial epidemiology and surveillance of foodborne pathogens

Parasitic infections and antihelmintics

  • Sumiti Vinayak  Cryptosporidium genetics and novel drug targets
  • William Witola  Cryptosporidium gene function and identification of novel drug targets; phospholipid biosynthetic pathways in parasitic nematodes

Viral infections and vaccines

  • Alberto Brandariz Role of receptor glycosylation in SARS-CoV2 infection
  • Ying Fang Molecular mechanisms of nidovirus pathogenesis of humans and swine; vaccines platforms for swine
  • Keith Jarosinski Marek’s Disease Virus (MDV) and other herpesvirus of poultry and humans; poultry vaccines
  • Daniel Rock African swine fever virus (ASFV) and poxviruses; vaccines for ASFV in swine
  • Raymond Rowland Host factors involved in porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) pathogenesis
  • Dongwan Yoo  Molecular mechanisms of arterivirus infections and novel vaccines based on PRRSV infectious clones and reverse genetics
  • Federico Zuckermann Swine vaccines, including PRRSV