Department of Pathobiology

What are the root causes of disease? How can they be better diagnosed and treated? Can the answers discovered be applied to both animal and human illness? These are the questions that drive studies and research in the Department of Pathobiology in the Auburn College of Veterinary Medicine. Its mission is to discover and disseminate new knowledge of diseases through research and diagnostic services in such fields as biomedical science and comparative medicine, benefitting the health of both animals and people in the One Health tradition while also preparing students for careers in service and scholarship. Pathobiology is also the academic home for graduate students and pathology residents in the Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program.

The department’s nationally and internationally recognized faculty enrich the educational experiences of students and residents through cutting-edge research in areas such as infectious disease, biodetection, cancer biology, molecular therapy, vaccinology, public health and applied diagnostics. In addition, some faculty members hold appointments in the Scott-Ritchey Research Center, the Alabama State Diagnostic Laboratory, the Auburn Transgenic Facility and the Sugg Laboratory for Animal Health Research. Research and specialized facilities and equipment are also state-of-the-art, including quantitative PCR, CytoViva fluorescence microscopy, the Auburn Transgenic Facility, the Hybridoma Monoclonal Antibody Laboratory, cell culture facilities, laser gel scanning and integration and electron microscopy.