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, Photobacterium damselae, 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.

David Baker, DVM, PhD. Professor and Director, Laboratory Animal Medicine. Infectious diseases of laboratory animals.

Richard Cooper, PhD. Associate Professor, Aquatic Diseases. Enhancement of the immune system of aquatic species through transgenic mechanisms.

Phil Elzer, PhD. Professor, Veterinary Immunology, Veterinary Science. Bacterial pathogenesis, focusing on host-parasite interactions and immunity. Laboratory page

John Hawke, PhD. Associate Professor, Aquatic Animal Health Chief Diagnostician: Louisiana Aquatic Diagnostic Laboratory (LADL). Emerging infectious diseases of cultured marine and freshwater fish and crustaceans.

Fang-ting Liang, PhD. Associate Professor, Vector-borne Diseases, Bacteriology, Immunology. Strategies used by Borrelia burgdorferi to evade the immune system and bacterial factors that are responsible for the induction of inflammatory pathology in murine models.

Kevin Macaluso, PhD. Associate Professor, Vector-borne Diseases. Tick- and flea-borne rickettsial diseases and how the interactions between arthropods and rickettsiae facilitate pathogen transmission.

Ron Thune, PhD. Professor of Aquatic Animal Health, Professor of Veterinary Science, Pathobiological Sciences Department Head. Infectious diseases of aquatic animals.

William Todd, PhD, Professor of Veterinary Microbiology and Veterinary Science. Development of vaccines capable of preventing clinical diseases caused by obligate intracellular bacteria.

Laboratory Research Branch, National Hansen's Disease Center