Skills:
Molecular & Microbiology biology: Protein, RNA and DNA isolation, PCR (conventional, reverse transcriptase, and real time), electrophoresis, generation of RNA probes, IFA, Protein expression in E. coli, Western Blotting, Transfection of cells, cell chemotaxis assays, and BCA protein assay. Cell culture: Isolation, culture and growth of Ehrlichia canis, E. chaffeensis and Anaplasma phagocytophilum from blood and tissue without antibiotics, isolation, and culture of cells from tissue and blood, expansion and maintenance of various mammalian and arthropod cell lines, and virus titer plaque assays. Growth and maintenance of cells and bacteria in a BSL-3 environment. Handling and care of experimental animals: Cattle, horses, dogs, mice, rabbits, and chickens. Dissection and collection of adult and fetal mouse tissues. Handled animals in a BSL2 facility. Parasitology: Collection and rearing of ixodid ticks and identification of parasites in host feces and blood samples Light and fluorescence microscopy: Tissue fixation for histology, thin blood smears, staining, and scanning Immunology: RNA protection assays for cytokine mRNA detection, cell surface staining, flow cytometry, and isolation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells Nutrition: Monogastric nutrient analysis, sample preparation, and bomb calorimetry General laboratory: Organization, maintenance protocol development, undergraduate and graduate student training, and teaching Veterinary Parasitology wet lab. Familiar with BSL-3 procedures. Presentation of material in the form of teaching laboratories, seminars, abstracts, oral and poster presentations at scientific meetings and journal articles