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This course will allow students to gain an in-depth knowledge of basic immunology through independent study under the guidance of faculty on individual topics.

Offered by individual faculty members in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology for DVM students undertaking research in Research Fellowship.

Designed primarily for graduate students with a background in pathogenic microbiology and immunology. May be elected by veterinary students who are properly prepared.

The Seminars in Infection and Immunity Series hosts local, national, and international speakers in the immunology, microbiology, virology, and parasitology sectors to acquaint students with current advances and insight in the field. This course provides students with lunch discussions with each speaker to offer networking opportunities with established scientists. Seminars are open to the public. The seminar schedule and list of speakers for each semester can be found by going to the CVM Department of Microbiology and Immunology website. Requirement for graduate students in the field of Immunology and Infectious Disease in the BBS program.

In-depth look at porcine endoparasites of major importance in North America and Europe. Details of taxonomy, biology, epidemiology, pathology, host immunity, clinical presentation, and preventative and curative treatment. Consideration of efficacy of available parasiticides. Information from studies reported in primary literature will be reviewed where applicable.

This course will present the principles behind commonly used diagnostic techniques to identify parasitic infections, including: fecal and blood examination techniques, culture methods, morphologic identification, ELISA, PCR, patient-side tests, and more. Lectures will be comprised mainly of video demonstrations of the relevant techniques.

Identification and differentiation of common protistan, helminth and acarid parasites and artifacts and pseudoparasites found in the feces, urine, blood, and skin scrapings of domestic animals.

Students will perform necropsies for parasite recovery and identification as per FDA trial purposes. Domestic and wild animal species will be utilized for the purpose of presenting methods for the examination of the different organ systems for parasite recovery.

Cases from all major large animal hosts will have the students work through a series each laboratory from presentation, samples, diagnostic testing, and suggestion of treatment, therapy, and follow up. The course will utilize fixed and prepared samples, and living materials when available.

Cases from all major small animal hosts will have the students work through a series each laboratory from presentation, samples, diagnostic testing, and suggestion of treatment, therapy, and follow up. The course will utilize fixed and prepared samples, and living materials when available.

Discussions on the principles of vaccine design, the history of vaccine use in veterinary medicine, and the regulatory approval process with focus on specific products developed for coccidia in poultry, vector-borne protozoal agents, and nematodes of livestock; the successes and failures of these efforts; and future prospects.

Alternative methods to parasite control will be discussed, e.g., pasture rotation and maintenance, herbal products, copper wire particles, various feed-stuffs such as tannins, and biological control methods.

Introduction to statistics as it relates to both experimental and observations studies will allow students to be able to interpret statistics and understand the need for statistical testing in study design. Students will obtain practice with data collection, entry, and analysis.

Introduction to the concepts, considerations and processes involved in acquisition of FDA, EPA, and USDA approvals and registrations for parasiticides: responsibilities of study directors and monitors, guidelines, discovery, research and product development, etc. Sample protocols and FDA, EPA, and USDA registrations will be examined.

Many federal agencies interact with the veterinary community in activities such as disease reporting, the regulatory process of drug approval, and pharmaceutical adverse event reporting. Congress also plays a very important role in animal health. This course will provide a broad review of the structure and roles of the government with respect to animal health, relating how they are relevant to the animal health community. Lectures will emphasize government structure and codification of authority; understanding federal authorities and activities in areas including agriculture, disease reporting, pharmaceutical regulation, research, and trade; and case studies. Guest presentations from experts who have worked with or for many of these agencies will be provided. This course is intended for students enrolled in their first semester of the Master of Professional Studies in Veterinary Medicine.

In this course students will develop a topic for their literature-review dealing directly with a subject in veterinary parasitology and will be assigned a faculty mentor. Students will identify their academic sources and will be expected to submit an annotated bibliography for review. This course will assess a student's ability to read, evaluate and integrate the research literature into the design of a veterinary parasitology investigation.

Introduction to the arthropod, protist, and helminth parasites of domestic animals with an emphasis on the biology, diseases induced, and their control. Objective is to have a basic understanding of the biology of these organisms that are important to veterinary medicine, producers, consumers, and commercial antiparasite product and vaccine developers.

Parasites of wildlife, mainly of more studied hosts. Emphasis on morphology, biology, diversity, and effects on host and environment. Examples of parasites of invertebrates, fish, amphibia, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Objective is an appreciation of the diversity of parasites and to introduce the impact that these parasites have on biology.

Critical evaluation and integration of the research literature is a critical tool of the modern parasitologist. This course will provide students with the ability to read, understand, evaluate and integrate the research literature in veterinary parasitology. Students will enhance their writing and presentation skills in the preparation of the project. Students will prepare a literature-review based project dealing directly with a subject in veterinary parasitology. This project is an in depth and extensive review of the literature, culminating in the preparation of an hour-long lecture to be presented at the end of the course, and submit a final copy of the required paper. This course is intended for students enrolled in their final semester of the Masters of Professional Studies in Veterinary Medical Sciences. Students will present to MPS faculty in person during the final exam period.

Live on-line instruction presenting the morphologic features of major parasite groups and important species to allow parasite, protozoa, helminths, and arthropod, identification in histologic section. It will be presented as a 10 day lab course presented with presentation of the material live on line with ZOOM or equivalent.

Through critically reviewing peer reviewed parasitology literature, course participants will gain skills in assessing study design and interpretation of results. Written critiques and annotations of literature will enable opportunities to practice scientific writing. In addition, participants will gain skills in oral and poster presentations and grant writing.

This seminar series provides students an opportunity to learn about and apply previously learned parasitology knowledge to new hosts and parasites. All students will participate in the seminars for three semesters. The first two semesters will be ungraded, and the final semester will be graded. During the final semester, each student will lead asynchronous discussions for two weeks on a parasite and host not discussed in core classes. During the first week, the student leader will provide a handout with the life cycle, a 10-to-15-minute recorded lecture on the parasite/host and kickoff discussion with one or two questions. During the next week, the student leader will provide a case report involving the parasite/host, a summary of the report and two to three questions for discussion.

This course assesses the student’s ability to put their knowledge and understanding of parasitology laboratory methods and parasite identification into practice. Students will demonstrate their knowledge of laboratory methods and practice parasite identification skills through activities such as identifying parasites using taxonomic keys, selecting laboratory methods based on protocol outlines or disease diagnosis, critiquing methods used in the literature, and writing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). This course is intended as an online lab course for students enrolled in the Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Veterinary Parasitology.

The first half of the course will familiarize students with the fundamental principles of veterinary pharmacology, provide a basic understanding of the major definitions and terms used in veterinary pharmacology, and provide the basics on the history and scope of veterinary pharmacology. The second half of the course will take an in-depth look at drugs and agents for the prevention and control of parasitic arthropods, protozoa, and helminths of domestic animals. Emphasis will be on products commercially available in North America and Europe. Presents details on known (or postulated) modes of action for classes of compounds, important differences between drugs within the same class, targeted parasitic life stages, approved drug use and extra label drug use. Established or suspected resistance of parasites to specific drugs or drug classes will be highlighted. This course is intended as a core course for students enrolled in the Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Veterinary Parasitology program.

This course offers participants an overview of the biology of arthropods that impact animal health with a focus on morphology, physiology, life history and ecology. Emphasis will be placed on how physiology and environmental factors impact distribution and disease risk. Participants will have the option to go further in depth in diagnostics, vectored diseases and treatment, prevention and control (clinical concentration) OR explore laboratory raising of arthropods and surveillance techniques (research and conservation concentrations). This course is intended as an elective course for students enrolled in the Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Veterinary Parasitology.

This course is intended to introduce students to foundational principles in the discovery of drugs and vaccines for parasite control, including historic examples. The complexity and resource intensiveness of drug discovery and vaccines will be explored. Drug discovery topics will include basic principles of turning chemistry into a drug, identifying a target, and the complexity of developing a lead molecule into a product. Parasite vaccine topics will include the different categories, general formulation and testing and a critique of some current vaccines. Students will develop a sense of what is required for drug and vaccine development, including pitfalls and challenges.

In-depth look at canine and feline parasites of major veterinary medical importance or of special interest (relative to zoonosis, etc.). Emphasis on parasites common in North America and Europe, with some discussion of other geographic regions. Presents details of taxonomy, biology, epidemiology, pathology, host immunity, clinical presentation, and preventative and curative treatment. Also, as relevant, consideration and discussion of parasitic susceptibility and resistance to available parasiticides. Information from studies reported in primary literature will be reviewed where applicable. This course is intended as an elective course for students enrolled in the Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Veterinary Parasitology.

In-depth look at cattle and sheep parasites of major veterinary importance or of special interest (relative to zoonosis). Emphasis on parasites common in North America and Europe. Presents details of biology, epidemiology, pathology, host immunity, clinical presentation, control and treatment. Also, as relevant, consideration and discussion of parasitic susceptibility and resistance to available parasiticides (i.e., susceptibility of class of parasite, stages and genetic resistance). Information from studies reported in primary literature will be reviewed where applicable. This course is intended as an elective course for students enrolled in the Master of Professional Studies (MPS) in Veterinary Parasitology.

This course is intended to introduce students to concepts and considerations related to the spread, control, and eradication of infectious agents (including the potential ramifications of such actions). Students will explore ways in which artificially-designated boundaries, such as “domestic vs wild”, “animal vs human”, “town/state/country”, cannot contain, and in fact may help parasites gain entry into new environments and host populations. Especially as global temperatures, travel, and encroachment into wild habitats increase. Additionally, students will consider the roles that parasite plasticity, ecology, and food chains play in this context.

This course provides an opportunity for faculty to pilot a new course, or to offer a new course on a temporary basis and/or after the deadline for course submission has passed.