Our Mission

About the Department

The Department of Veterinary and Microbiological Sciences (VMS) maintains a focus on the pathogenesis of infectious disease, with programs in bacteriology, immunology, virology, epidemiology and food microbiology. The faculty collaborates with multidisciplinary programs in Biosurveillance and Food Safety, and with the North Dakota State Veterinary Diagnostic Lab at NDSU. The department maintains memberships in the American Society for Microbiology and the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges.

VMS provides quality undergraduate and graduate instruction, guidance and advising for microbiology, pre-veterinary medicine, food safety and molecular pathogenesis students. Microbiology serves as an excellent major for all pre-professional programs. Additionally, the department provides instruction to other diverse majors such as pharmacy, animal science, medical technology, veterinary technology, biotechnology and cellular and molecular biology. The microbiology curriculum in Veterinary and Microbiological Sciences develops a basic knowledge in the fundamentals of microbiology, works to stimulate critical thinking, develops problem-solving skills, works to improve writing skills and provides excellent laboratory training and technical skills. The program provides rigorous academic training in a collegial environment that stimulates an interest in lifelong learning among faculty, staff and students.

VMS has developed an increasingly successful, competitive research program in the molecular pathogenesis of infectious diseases of animals, relative to animal health, public health and food safety. Specific research areas include the study of unique microbial factors that result in virulence, methods to utilize these virulence factors for diagnosis and identification, and methods to utilize these unique virulence factors for immunization and disease prevention. Food safety risk assessment and understanding microorganisms and the disease process enhances North Dakota’s efforts in protecting against intentional and unintentional disease outbreaks.

Personnel

For more information about VMS see our 2004 annual report.

Undergraduate Programs  

Microbiology
Pre-Veterinary Medicine Program

Interdisciplinary Programs

Biotechnology
Food Safety Program

Graduate Programs

The Department of Veterinary and Microbiological Sciences offers graduate study leading to the M.S. degree in Microbiology and the PhD degree in Molecular Pathogenesis.  Advanced work may involve specialized training in the following areas:  virology, molecular genetics, bacterial physiology, immunology, and bacterial pathogenesis.  The department also participates in the Food Safety graduate program.

Microbiology/Molecular Pathogenesis
Food Safety
Graduate Program Handbook 2008

Course Offerings

Microbiology
Pre-Veterinary Medicine Program

Research

There are many laboratories in Van Es that are dedicated to research and graduate education. Opportunities exist for undergraduate students to work in research labs and study in-depth topics such as Virology, Bacteriology, Bacterial Genetics, Immunology and Food Microbiology . For information about specific research being conducted at this time, see the faculty biographies.

Graduate Students

Facilities and Locations on Campus

The department is located in Van Es Hall (building #70 on the map below) on the west edge of campus. Teaching and research laboratories are utilized for instruction. A nearby research building (building #34) contains scanning and transmission electron microscopes.

Career Opportunities: 

Microbiology
Veterinary Science

ND Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory

Views in and around VMS

Views of the NDSU Campus