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Infectious Diseases

Overview

Graduate work in the Infectious Disease Concentration Area includes research at the molecular and cellular level in bacteriology, parasitology, and virology, as well as investigations of the host immune response to these agents. Programs focus on etiology, pathogenesis, diagnostic development, vaccine development, and antimicrobial therapies. Programs also focus on gene regulation and host-pathogen interactions that influence pathogenesis. Research approaches employ a wide variety of molecular, biochemical, pharmacological, and microscopic techniques, utilizing cell culture and whole organisms. Students selecting Infectious Disease will focus on one or more of these areas.

A highly individualized curriculum of study is designed to meet the needs and interests of the student while satisfying selected requirements by the faculty. These include graduate level cell biology and biochemistry, as well as graduate level courses relating to the specific discipline chosen (bacteriology, parasitology, or virology). Additional courses may be chosen by the student and his/her advisor from a large number of college and university offerings.

Students entering the Ph.D. program having completed courses equivalent to the required courses may, with the consent of their thesis committee, petition the concentration area Graduate Committee to waive these requirements.

COURSES REQUIRED FOR THE INFECTIOUS DISEASES CONCENTRATION

CBS 810 Seminar in Infectious Diseases (1 credit; minimum 3 credits total for doctoral students; minimum 2 credits total for master’s students)

 ELECTIVE COURSES

Elective courses are selected by the student and mentor, and must be approved by the student’s graduate advisory committee. Possible elective course include, but are not limited to, the following:

BIOCHEMISTRY

BCH 701 Macromolecular Structure; Fall (3 credits)

BCH 703 Macromolecular Synthesis and Regulation; Fall (3 credits)

MICROBIOLOGY AND IMMUNOLOGY

MB 714 Microbial Metabolic Regulation; Fall (3 credits)

MB 718 Introductory Virology; Fall alternate odd years (3 credits)

MB/IMM 751 Immunology; Spring (3 credits)

IMM/TOX 705 Immunotoxicology; Spring (2 credits)

IMM/CBS 755 Immunoparasitology; Spring alternate years (2 credits)

IMM/PO 757 Comparative Immunology; Spring alternate odd years (3 credits)

IMM/CBS/MB 783 Adv. Immunology; Fall alternate years (3 credits)

IMM/CBS 816 Adv. Topics in Immunology; Fall and Spring (1 credits)

COMPARATIVE BIOMDEICAL SCIENCES

CBS 770 Cell Biology; Spring (3 credits)

CBS 771 Cancer Biology; Fall (4 credits)

CBS 774 Epidemiol. of Inf. Dis. of International Importance; Fall alternate years

MOLECULAR AND CELL BIOLOGY

GN 701 Molecular Genetics; Fall (3 credits)

GN 702 Cellular and Developmental Genetics; Spring (3 credits)

GN 750 Developmental Genetics; Spring alternate years (3 credits)

GN/ST 756 Computations Molecular Evolution; Fall alternate years (3 credits)

GN/MB 758 Microbial Genetics & Genomics; Spring (3 credits)

GN/BCH 761 Adv. Molecular Biology of the Cell; Spring alternate years (3 credits)

GN/BCH 768 Nucleic Acids: Structure and Function; Spring alternate years (3 credits)

GN 810-xxx Special Topics in Genetics; Fall and Spring (1-6 credits)

BCH 705 Molecular Biology of the Cell; Spring (3 credits)

STATISTICS

ST 501 Fundamentals of Statistical Inference I; Fall & Summer (3 credits)

ST 701 Statistical Theory I; Fall (3 credits)

TECHNIQUES

BIT 815 Advanced Topics In Biotechnology; Summer (1-6 credits)

Participating Faculty

NameEmailConcentrationResearch Emphasis
Adam Birkenheuerajbirken@ncsu.eduImmunology, Infectious DiseasesGeneral Internal Medicine and Infectious Disease
Barbara Sherrybarbara_sherry@ncsu.eduInfectious DiseasesVirus-cell interactions
Ben Callahanbcallah@ncsu.eduInfectious Diseases, Population MedicineMicrobiome methods in health and disease
Casey Theriotcmtherio@ncsu.edu Infectious DiseasesStudy the interactions between the gut microbiota, host, and pathogen C. difficile
Derek Fosterderek_foster@ncsu.edu Infectious Diseases, Pharmacology, Population MedicineWe use pharmacokinetic modeling to understand antimicrobial resistance in enteric bacteria. 
Ed Breitschwerdtebbreits@ncsu.eduInfectious DiseasesOur transnational research is focused on generating improvements in diagnosis, treatment and prevention of vector borne zoonotic infectious diseases, with a particular focus on the genus Bartonella. 
Elisa Crisciecrisci@ncsu.edu Immunology, Infectious DiseasesCrisci lab studies the interactions between respiratory viruses and innate immunity
Frank Schollefrank_scholle@ncsu.eduImmunology, Infectious DiseasesViral Immunology
Fred Fullerffuller@ncsu.eduInfectious DiseasesEquine Infectious Anemia virus pathogenesis- will retire next summer
Glen Almondgwalmond@ncsu.edu Infectious Diseases, Population MedicinePorcine production and infectious diseases.
Isabel Gimenoimgimeno@ncsu.eduImmunology, Infectious Diseases, Population MedicineTumor viral diseases in poultry and development of the chicken immune system
Jeffrey Yoderjayoder@ncsu.edu Cell Biology, Immunology, Infectious DiseasesWe study the evolution of immune receptors and PFAS immunotoxicology.
Jody Gookinjgookin@ncsu.eduCell Biology, Infectious DiseasesHost-pathogen Interactions in the Gut
Juliana Bonin Ferreirajboninf@ncsu.eduInfectious Diseases, Population Medicine
Katarsyna Dembekkdembek@ncsu.eduInfectious DiseasesEndocrine dysfunctions in foals with septicemia with the long-term goal of identifying potential novel therapeutics for horses and other species.
Kevin Andersonkevin_anderson@ncsu.edu Infectious Diseases, Population MedicineInfectious diseases of ruminants; emphasis on mastitis and the pathogen Staphylococcus aureus
Lauren Schnabellvschnab@ncsu.edu Cell Biology, Immunology, Infectious DiseasesThe Schnabel Laboratory focuses on the use of regenerative and biologic therapies for the treatment of musculoskeletal injuries.
Manuel Kleinermkleine@ncsu.edu Infectious DiseasesWe study interactions between the intestinal microbiota and different dietary components using high-resolution mass spectrometry based approaches.
Matthew Kocimdkoci@ncsu.eduImmunology, Infectious DiseasesMatt Koci's research program focuses on host-microbe interactions and understanding how the host recognizes, responds to, eliminates, and ultimately develops resistance to pathogens.
Megan Jacobmejacob@ncsu.edu Infectious DiseasesAntimicrobial resistance and public health microbiology
Michael Levymike_levy@ncsu.eduInfectious DiseasesImmunoparasitology
Michael Sikesmike_sikes@ncsu.eduImmunology, Infectious DiseasesLymphocyte development and differentiation
Petra Bizikovapbiziko@ncsu.eduImmunology, Infectious DiseasesAutoimmune and allergic skin disease of small animals
Ravi Kulkarnirrkulkar@ncsu.edu Immunology, Infectious DiseasesImmunology of infectious diseases and Vaccine development
Rocio Cresporcrespo@ncsu.eduInfectious Diseases, Population MedicineConducting applied research on poultry health and production
Samuel Jonessljones@ncsu.eduCell Biology, Immunology, Infectious DiseasesRegulation of Neutrophil Motility
Sara Lylesklyle2@ncsu.edu Infectious DiseasesWe focus on interactions of the host and the microbiome - in health and disease.
Sid Thakursthakur@ncsu.eduInfectious Diseases, Population MedicineAntimicrobial resistance and One Health
Steven Sutersesuter@ncsu.eduCell Biology, Immunology, Infectious Diseases, PathologyGenetics and Therapy of Cancer
Tal Ben-Horintbenhor@ncsu.edu Infectious Diseases, Pathology Research in my lab focuses on the ecology and epidemiology of infectious diseases in coastal marine ecosystems. 
Thierry Olivrytolivry@ncsu.eduCell Biology, Immunology, Infectious DiseasesPathogenesis and Therapy of Pruritis, Atopic Dermatitis and Autoimmune Diseases
Tobias Kaesertekaeser@ncsu.eduImmunology, Infectious DiseasesThe Kaeser lab studies the adaptive immune response in pigs and uses it as a biomedical animal model for chlamydia infections and food allergy
Xinxia Pengxpeng5@ncsu.eduInfectious Diseasessystems analysis of host-microbiome-pathogen interactions