LSU School of Veterinary Medicine Confers Six Advanced Degrees

The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine conferred six graduate degrees at its Diploma Distribution Ceremony for the Graduate Academic Studies Program on May 18.

Interim Associate Dean for Research and Advanced Studies James E. Miller, DVM, MPVM, PhD, presided over the ceremony. Professor of Veterinary Clinical Pathology Stephen D. Gaunt, DVM (LSU SVM 1977), PhD, served as the representative of the LSU Graduate Council and conferred the degrees.

Deepmala Agarwal, BVSc, MVSc (Satna, India), received her PhD from the Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences (CBS). His/her dissertation was entitled, “Mechanisms by Which Exercise Training Attenuates Blood Pressure in Animals: Role of Cytokines, Oxidative Stress, and Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3β.” Dr. Agarwal’s major advisor was Associate Professor Joseph Francis, BVSc, MVSc, PhD. She is pursuing a faculty position or a post-doctoral fellowship.

Gayathriy Balamayooran, BVSc (Columbo, Srilanka), received her PhD from the Department of Pathobiological Sciences (PBS). His/her dissertation was entitled, “Essential Role of MCP-1 in Gram Negative Bacterial Pneumonia.” Dr. Balamayooran’s major advisor was Associate Professor Samithamby Jeyaseelan, DVM, PhD. She is joining faculty at the Hansen’s Disease Center.

Andrew Timothy David, DVM (St. Louis, Mo.), received his PhD from the Department of Pathobiological Sciences. His dissertation was entitled, “The Role of Glycoprotein K (gK) in the Ocular and Neuralpathogenesis of Herpes Simplex Virus-Type 1 (HSV-1).” Dr. David’s major advisor was Professor Konstantin G. Kousoulas, MS, PhD. Dr. David is preparing to take his board examination for the American College of Veterinary Pathologists.

Britton John Grasperge, BS, DVM (LSU SVM 2006), DACVP (New Orleans, La.), received his PhD from the Department of Pathobiological Sciences.  His dissertation was entitled, “Development and Characterization of a Murine Model of Rickettsia Parkeri Rickettsiosis.” Dr. Grasperge’s major advisor was Associate Professor Kevin R. Macaluso, MS, PhD. Dr. Graperge has started a post-doctoral fellowship at Tulane National Primate Research Center.

Lin “Shirley” Xie, MS (Linyi, Shandong, China), received her PhD from the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences. Her dissertation was entitled, “Optimization of Adult Multipotent Stromal Cell-Bioscaffolds  Interactions for Tissue Regeneration with Bioreactors.” Dr. Xie’s major advisor was Associate Professor Mandi J. Lopez, DVM, MS, PhD. Dr. Xie will pursue a post-doctoral fellowship.

Vanessa M. Pinto, DVM, (São Paulo, Brazil), received her MS from the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences. Her thesis was entitled, “Isolation and Characterization of Adult Progenitor Cells from Healthy and Laminitic Hoof Tissue.” Dr. Pinto’s major advisor was Associate Professor Mandi J. Lopez, DVM, MS, PhD. Dr. Pinto hopes to start a PhD program in the future.

Dean Peter F. Haynes, DVM, DACVS, addressed the graduates, “We’re proud of your achievements and to have contributed to your developing careers. We know that you will be great ambassadors for LSU. We wish you well on your professional journeys.”

Photo: Attending the Diploma Distribution Ceremony at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine are (from left) Dr. Samithamby Jeyaseelan, Dr. Gayathriy Balamayooran, Dr. Stephen Gaunt (LSU SVM 1977), Dr. Britton Grasperge (LSU SVM 2006), Dr. Kevin Macaluso, Dr. Mandi Lopez, Dr. Vanessa Pinto, Dr. James Miller, Dr. Deepmala Agarwal, Dr. Andrew David, Dr. Konstantin “Gus” Kousoulas, and Dr. James Francis.

Media Contact:

Ginger Guttner    

Director of Public Relations

LSU School of Veterinary Medicine

225-578-9922 or gguttner@lsu.edu

Mission:

The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine is a dynamic community dedicated to saving lives, finding cures, and changing lives through outstanding clinical and community service, groundbreaking research, and educational excellence.