Professional Experience

• Professor, Department of Pathobiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 2003 to present.
• Associate Professor, Department of Pathobiology, Joint Appointment, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, May 1, 1996 to 2003.
• Head, Avian Diagnostic Pathology, Connecticut Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Pathobiology, Storrs, CT. July 1, 1993 to present.
• Assistant Professor, Department of Pathobiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, September 1, 1989 to August 31, 1995.
• Molecular Biologist/Virologist, USDA, ARS, Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory, Athens, GA, January 15, 1989 to August 31, 1989.
• Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Avian Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, July 1, 1988 to January 14, 1989.
• Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA., December 1, 1987 to June 30, 1988.
• Postgraduate Researcher, Department of Epidemiology & Preventive Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA., July 1, 1985 to December 31, 1987.

Professional Memberships

• American Association of Avian Pathologists (AAAP). – American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) – American Association of Extension Veterinarians (AAEV) – American Association of University Professors (AAUP) – American Society for Microbiology (ASM) – Connecticut Poultry Association (CPA) – World Poultry Science Association (WPSA) – Gamma Sigma Delta
• University, College and Other Professional Committees and activities:
• Member, Faculty Standards Committee, University of Connecticut Senate. 1996-1999.
• Member, Student Welfare Committee, University of Connecticut Senate. 1992-1994.
• Member, Sub-committee on Grades Change, Faculty Standards Committee, 1998-1999.
• Member, Curricular and Courses Committee, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Connecticut, Storrs. 1989-1999.
• Member, Committee for Equal Opportunity Employment, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Connecticut, Storrs. 1992-1993.
• Member, Biotechnology Liaison Committee, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Connecticut, Storrs. 1993-1995.
• Member, Diversity Committee, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Connecticut, Storrs. 1997-1999.
• Member, International Activities Committee, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, University of Connecticut, Storrs. 2000-present.
• Member, Alumni Awards Committee, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, University of Connecticut, Storrs. 1999-2000.
• Member, Food-safety Committee, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, University of Connecticut, Storrs. 1999-present.
• Member, Faculty Candidate Search Committee, Department of Pathobiology, 1991.
• Member, Faculty Candidate Search Committee, Department of Pathobiology, 1992.
• Member, Department of Pathobiology’s Graduate Student Selection Committee. 1992-1996.
• Member, Department Head Search Committee. Department of Pathobiology, Member. 1994.
• Member, Department of Pathobiology’s Promotion, Tenure and Reappointment Committee. 1995-1997.
• Member, Department of Pathobiology’s Merit Committee. 1994-1996.
• Member, Biotechnology Committee, American Veterinary Medical Association, 1990-present.
• Member, Avian Respiratory Diseases Committee, American Veterinary Medical Association, 1995-2000.
• Member, USDA Multi-state Research Project, Epidemiology and control of emerging strains of poultry disease respiratory agents. NE 138, 1990-1993.
• Member, Planning Advisory Committee, Member, New England Poultry Management Conf. 1990-present.
• Member, Planning Advisory Committee, Member, New England Poultry Health Conference. 1990-2000.
• Member, Planning Advisory Committee, Member, New England Pest Control Meeting, Member, 1990-1993.
• Member, Mycoplasma Committee, Northeastern Poultry Disease Conference. New England Division. Member. 1990- present.
• Member, Avian Mycoplasma advisory Committee. International Organization of Mycoplasmologists. 1987-1998.
• Member, Salmonella Committee, Member, Northeastern Conference on Avian Diseases. Member, 1992-present.
• Member, Department of Pathobiology’s Graduate Student Selection Committee. 2000-present.
• Member, Student Awards Committee, 66th Annual meeting of Northeastern Conference of Avian Diseases. College Park, Maryland. June, 1994.
• Faculty advisor to Vietnam Student Association, 1992 to 1994.
• Faculty advisor to Asian American Culture Center, 1993.

Leadership Activities

• Chairman, Department of Pathobiology’s and Curricular and Courses, 1990-1996.
• Chairman of Session. Mycoplasma Infection. 129th Annual Meeting of American Veterinary Medical Association, Boston, Massachusetts. August, 1992.
• Chairman of Session: Vaccination Program: Annual Meeting of New England Poultry Management Conference, Andover, Massachusetts, .September 1992.
• Chairman of Session. Mycoplasmosis. 42nd Western Poultry Disease Conference, Sacramento, California, March, 1993.
• Chairman of Session. Salmonella enteritidis infection: Annual meeting of 65th Northeastern Conference of Avian Disease. University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware. June, 1993.
• Chairman of Session: Poultry Health Surveillance in New England. 43rd Annual Meeting of New England and New York Poultry Health Conference, Portsmouth, New Hampshire. March 1994.
• Secretary, USDA Multi-state Research Project, Epidemiology and control of emerging strains of poultry disease respiratory agents. NE 138, 1994-1995.
• Program Chairman, 67th Northeastern Conference on Avian Diseases, Mystic, Connecticut. June 12-14, 1995.
• Chairman, Biotechnology Committee, American Veterinary Medical Association. 1995-1997.
• Vice Chairman , USDA Multi-state Research Project, Epidemiology and control of emerging strains of poultry disease respiratory agents. NE 138, 1995-1996.
• Chairman, Department of Pathobiology’s Merit Committee. 1996.
• Chairman of Session: Avian Mycoplasma. XIth WVPA International Congress, Budapest, Hungary. August 18-22, 1997.
• Chairman of Session: Communicable disease diagnosis. 7th International Conference of the Egyptian Society for Infection Control. Cairo, Egypt, October 28, 1998.
• Chairman of Session: Avian Influenza update. 43rd Annual Meeting of New England and New York Poultry Health Conference, Portsmouth, New Hampshire. March 1999.
• Secretary, USDA Multi-state Research Project, Epidemiology and control of emerging strains of poultry disease respiratory agents. NE 138, 1999-2000.
• Chairman of Session: Animal Pathology: International Conference on Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine towards the 21st Century. Beijing, P. R. China. August 12-15, 2000.
• Program Chairman, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) Symposium, Biotechnology, American Association Avian Pathologists (AAAP). Salt Lake City, Utah, July, 1999-2000.
• Chairman of Session: PCR for bacteria, Symposium, Biotechnology AAAP, Salt Lake, Utah. July, 2000.
• Program Chairman, University of Connecticut Poultry Health and Management Conference, April 18 2001.
• Program Chairman Elected. 74th Northeastern Conference on Avian Diseases, to be held in Connecticut. June 12-14, 2001.
• Panel Member, National Research Initiative Competitive Grant Program, USDA, Food Safety. April 30-May 2, 2003.

Scholarships and Awards

• Listed in Who’s Who in the South East. 1990-1994.
• Listed in Who’s Who of Emerging Leaders in America. 1993.
• Scholarship from the Livestock Disease Research Laboratory, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA. Ph.D. Research. 1987-1988.
• Scholarships from the Pacific Egg and Poultry Association for graduate study at the University of California, Davis. 1986 and 1987.
• Distinction in Veterinary Parasitology, from the University of Punjab, Lahore. 1968.
• Scholarship from Agriculture Department of Baluchistan to study Veterinary Medicine at the University of Punjab, Lahore. 1965 to 1970.

Ad hoc Reviewer

• USDA National Competitive grants programs
• Bi-national Agriculture Development grant (BARD)
• Research Foundation grants, University of Connecticut
• American Journal of Veterinary Research
• Journal of Veterinary diagnostic Investigation
• Storrs-Experiment Station, University of Connecticut
• Massachusetts Experiment Station, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA. Competitive Research Grant Program, University of Delaware, Newark, DE.
• Academic Initiation Grant. North Carolina’s Biotechnology Center, Research Park, NC.
• Molecular and Cellular Probes
• Veterinary Research Communications, UK

Courses Taught

• PATH 3341- Pathobiology of Avian Species. A three credit hours undergraduate course, 1994-current. Solo.
• PATH 3094W- Pathobiology Seminar.-Solo.
• SAPB 301- Health and Disease Management of Animals. A three credit hours, undergraduate course, 1993-current team taught, (30%).
• PATH 5341- Avian Pathology. A two credit hours, graduate course, 1994. Solo.
• PATH 5502- Evaluation of Diagnostic tests. 2 credit hours, graduate course, 1998-current Evaluation of Diagnostic tests. Solo.

Research Interests

Molecular Diagnostic Techniques: Development and application of DNA based probes , PCR, Multiplex PCR for avian pathogenic mycoplasmas (Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG), Mycoplasma synoviae (MS), Mycoplasma meleagridis (MM) and Mycoplasma iowae (MI)), RT-PCR, PCR and Multiplex PCR for Reovirus, Adenovirus and infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), Salmonella spp. Campylobacter spp. (Food-borne pathogens) and meat spoilage bacteria (PCR, Quantitative and Multiplex PCR).

Molecular Epidemiology: Arbitrarily primed (AP) PCR fingerprinting for Salmonella enteritidis isolates of avian and human origin. Ribotyping and AP-PCR for Proteus spp, ERIC-PCR for serovar differentiation of Hemophilus paragallinarum.

Pathogenesis of Salmonella enteritidis (SE) and mechanism of attachment, adhesion molecules and host receptors. Vaccine and SE specific diagnostic tests development.
Molecular characterization of S genes of infectious bronchitis virus (IBV). Pathogenesis of IBV serotypes. Development of recombinant DNA-vectored vaccine for infectious bronchitis virus (IBV). In ovo vaccination trial of recombinant DNA vaccine for IBV.

Molecular diagnosis (PCR) of Lyme disease in animals

Pathogenesis and Surveillance of Avian Influenza virus outbreaks in New England.