The visiting student will experience the clinical diagnostic routine of the Texas A&M University Parasitology Diagnostic Laboratory (https://vetmed.tamu.edu/parasitology-lab/), and the Verocai Parasitology Research Laboratory (https://vetmed.tamu.edu/verocai-lab/) both directed by Dr. Guilherme Verocai DVM, MS, PhD, DipACVM (Parasitology).
The Parasitology Diagnostic Laboratory offers diagnostic tests for the Small Animal and Large Animal Veterinary Teaching hospitals at TAMU, and external clients, including zoological facilities, pharmaceutical and diagnostic industry, government agencies, and livestock producers.
An array of classical, microscopy-based tests is offered, including double-centrifugation fecal flotation, saline sedimentation, McMaster, Mini-FLOTAC, modified Wisconsin, Flukefinder, Baermann, coproculture, parasite specimen identification, modified Knott’s among others. Annuallyh, the lab processes over 5,000 samples of a variety of animal species, including companion animals, livestock, exotic animals and wildlife.
In the research lab, the student will be exposed to a variety of molecular and immunodiagnostic tests. The research lab currently has multiple active projects, including the development of novel molecular diagnostic tests for various helminth parasites including the Guinea worm (Dracunculus medinensis), filarioid nematodes infecting carnivores and ungulates (Dirofilaria, Onchocerca), projects on the epidemiology of gastrointestinal parasites of bison, ticks and vector-borne parasites of companion animals.
The student will also actively participate in the lab meeting, the VetPDx webinars, and interact with other professional and graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows.
Altogether, the Texas A&M University Parasitology Diagnostic Laboratory (https://vetmed.tamu.edu/parasitology-lab/), and the Verocai Parasitology Research Laboratory (https://vetmed.tamu.edu/verocai-lab/) directed by Dr. Guilherme Verocai DVM, MS, PhD, DipACVM (Parasitology) have approximately 20 people, including experienced technicians, postdoctoral fellows, PhD students, and professional and undergraduate students.
Dr. Verocai’s Parasitology Research and Diagnostic Laboratories comprises rooms (305, 317, 320) located on the 3rd floor of the VMA building, Texas A&M University, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (TAMU CVMBS). The main lab space (VMA305) is divided in 4 rooms and 1 office (1,301.75 sqft) and 320 (653.72 sqft) are BSL2 labs used for molecular and classical parasitology research. Room 317 (158.13 sqft) is BSL1 and houses microscopes. Dr. Verocai’s research labs are with dedicated equipment including compound and dissecting microscopes, centrifuges, vortex mixers, manual and automated multichannel pipettors, conventional and real-time PCR thermal cyclers, dry heat blocks, a homogenizer, biosafety cabinets, -20 ºC freezers, -80 ºC freezers, 4 ºC refrigerators.
The student will work approximately 40 hours per week, during weekdays, and will be always under supervision of the supervisor, laboratory staff and students. The student may require additional hours to read protocols and scientific literature and complete assignments.
The student will be trained and become proficient in all diagnostic tests offered through the Parasitology Diagnostic Laboratory.
The student will be trained in selected molecular and immunodiagnostic techniques.
The student will select a challenging diagnostic case prepare a “Case of the Month” to be published on the website of the National Center for Veterinary Parasitology.
The student will be able to discuss diagnostic and treatment for selected cases.
The student will be able to discuss the veterinary and public health importance of selected parasites.
Student Housing is not available. We will put the student in contact with lab mates and 4VM students at TAMU, who may be aware of available short-period housing options.
4467 TAMU
College Station, TX 77845
United States