Animal Health
Shellfish Pathology Laboratory Staff member Carissa Gervasi and Fabiola Salcedo Moran, a visiting student from Ensenda, Mexico, conducting field work as part of the VIMS SPL Oyster Disease Monitoring Program. PI: R.B. Carnegie Photo by R.B. Carnegie
Marine and Aquaculture Molecular Genetics Cells of the harmful algal species, {em}Alexandrium monilatum{/em}, forming a chain. PI: K.S. Reece Photo by W.M. Jones
Crustacean Diseases Laboratory Current Aquatic Health student Pattie O’Leary, former post-doctoral research associate Tom Dolan and former staff member Shelley Katsuki are sorting crabs collected in seagrass beds. PI: J.D. Shields Photo by H. Small
Histopathology Laboratory Scanning Electron Microscope image of a two-cell chain of the dinoflagellate {em}Cochlodinium polykrikoides{/em}, one of several algal species associated with harmful algal blooms (HABs) in coastal waters of the Chesapeake Bay during the summer months. PI: W. Vogelbein Photo by P. Mason
Evolutionary and Ecological Medicine Laboratory Rainbow trout in Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus (IHNV) shedding study. PI: A.R. Wargo Photo by J. Scott
Shellfish Pathology Laboratory Current Aquatic Health student Lydia Bienlien setting up RFTM assays for the detection of the parasite {em}Perkinsus marinus{/em} in oysters. PI: R.B. Carnegie Photo by R.B. Carnegie
Marine and Aquaculture Molecular Genetics High school students measuring oysters and participating in the research of Brendan Turley, a current Aquatic Health student focusing on the application of genetic tools to inform oyster restoration. PI: K.S. Reece Photo by B. Turley
Crustacean Diseases Laboratory Small crabs are collected from seagrass beds for laboratory experiments investigating the ecology of the parasite {em}Hematodinium perezi{/em}. PI: J.D. Shields Photo by T. Dolan
Evolutionary and Ecological Medicine Laboratory Rainbow trouts placed in individual aquarium as part of an Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus (IHNV) superinfection experiment. PI: A.R. Wargo Photo by G. Kurath
Faculty in the Animal Health area have unique, diverse, and complementary research expertise. Their research addresses the ecology, evolution, and pathobiology of infectious diseases associated with eukaryotic, prokaryotic and viral pathogens, as well as non-infectious diseases associated with pollutants and natural toxins from harmful algal species. Much of their research focuses on commercially important host species such as oysters, blue crabs and striped bass, but they also use model organisms to understand general disease processes in wildlife and humans.
Primary Investigators
Dr. Ryan Carnegie: pathology and parasitology of molluscs like oysters and clams, with management of shellfish health in aquaculture and the wild a core focus.
Dr. Kimberly Reece: molecular ecology and genetic studies of aquaculture species, harmful algal blooms and aquatic pathogens.
Dr. Jeffrey Shields: epidemiology, etiology, ecology and pathology of diseases affecting crustaceans, in particular crabs and lobsters.
Dr. Wolfgang Vogelbein: pathobiology of pollution/disease associations in fishes, pathogenesis of heterotrophic dinoflagellates and epizootic of mycobacteriosis in striped bass.
Dr. Andrew Wargo: evolutionary and ecological approaches to improving disease management.