Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center

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PhD in Avian Infectious Diseases
Poultry Diagnostic & Research Center
Department of Population Health
The University of Georgia

The PDRC offers a Ph.D. degree in the area of infectious diseases affecting domestic poultry. PDRC is a unit within the Department of Population Health that provides a diverse educational environment that includes classical and molecular virology, pathogenic bacteriology, vaccinology, diagnostics, and epidemiology. State of the art research tools including real time PCR, nucleic acid sequencing, cloning, bioinformatics, genomics, gene expression, cell culture, microscopy, and molecular diagnostics are used to study avian pathogens of economic importance. Core facilities located on campus include bioexpression and fermentation laboratories, X-ray crystallography laboratory, integrated biotechnology laboratories, electron microscopy, and monoclonal antibody laboratories.

The PDRC houses well equipped biotechnology and molecular biology laboratories for infectious disease, epidemiology, genomics, and vaccine research. Our diagnostic laboratories include a post-mortem facility with adjacent ancillary laboratories for bacteriology, serology, and molecular biology. Animal care facilities encompass 6 filtered positive air pressure buildings, 6 semi-isolation rooms in 3 separate buildings, 3 buildings containing over 120 small Horsfal-type isolator units, and 4 conventional type poultry houses. The PDRC also has a seminar / conference room, a necropsy facility for research and, a photographic studio and darkroom, along with office space for faculty, staff, and graduate students.

One of the unique strengths of the Ph.D. Program in Avian Infectious Diseases is that students have the opportunity to conduct basic research as well as applied studies through interactions with clinicians, and personnel at the poultry diagnostic laboratory and in industry to solve disease problems in the field. The following areas and research expertise are currently available for study;

Clinical Avian Medicine Clinical Bacteriology Molecular Bacteriology Microbial Ecology Clinical Virology Molecular Virology Avian Pathology/Histopathology Epidemiology Vaccinology

Eligibility and Assistantships Students pursuing a PhD must hold a baccalaureate or DVM degree. More information can be found at Graduate School Admissions. Graduate laboratory assistantships are available for BS and MS students pursuing the PhD degree and are awarded on a competitive basis. Our Veterinary medical graduate assistantships are also available on a competitive basis to support graduate students holding the D.V.M. degree. The current annual stipend at one-half time for graduate students holding the D.V.M. degree is $29,648. Educational Expenses Graduate students who hold an assistantship requiring at least one-third-time service are assessed a $25 matriculation fee plus an activities fee of $495 per semester. For 2006-2007, residence hall rooms are available for both men and women at rates of $1,779 to $2,524 per semester. The new East Campus Village rates vary according to fall, spring, or summer semesters from $1,249 to $2,848 per semester. Married student accommodations range from $482 to $735 per month plus utilities for University-operated housing on the campus. Additionally, there are numerous privately owned residences available for rent in the area.

Athens and the University Located in the Piedmont section of the state, Athens is known as Georgia's "Classic City," and has a population of over 103,000. Average temperatures range from 32 to 52 degrees Fahrenheit for January and to 90 degrees for July. The city and University offer a wide range of cultural activities, which are supplemented by the attractions of nearby Atlanta. The city and surrounding area provide facilities for all types of sports and recreational activities, ranging from winter skiing in the mountains 2 hours to the north to summer activities on the ocean, 4 hours to the southeast. There are a number of freshwater lakes and state parks with campsites within easy driving distance.

The University of Georgia was incorporated in 1785 and established in 1801 and is the oldest state declared university in the country. Since that time, the University of Georgia has grown to include thirteen different schools and colleges, several research institutes and experiment stations, an agricultural extension service, and a center for continuing education on approximately 3,500 acres in Athens-Clarke County, Georgia, with most of the teaching and research activities concentrated in an area within the city limit. Enrollment during 2004-2005 was 33,405, which includes a Graduate School enrollment of 6,304 and a Professional enrollment of 1,541.

Application for Admission
Online application for admission to the Graduate School may be made at any time. Applicants must apply to the Ph.D. program in the Department of Infectious Diseases or the Department of Veterinary Pathology. Competitive applicants are expected to have a strong academic history and a demonstrated interest in infectious disease research. Students for whom English is not the native language must achieve a TOEFL score of 550 and higher on the paper-based test or 213 and higher on the computer-based test.

For Additional Information: Margie D. Lee, Graduate Coordinator Department of Population Health Poultry Diagnostic and Research Center 953 College Station Road University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602 Email: leem@vet.uga.edu Phone: 706-583-0797 Fax: 706-542-5630