Division of Microbiology and Immunology
The Division of Microbiology with three appointed faculty members is committed to quality in all of its instructional, services, and research programs. The Division provides core instruction in the veterinary curriculum, specifically in bacteriology, immunology, and virology.
Laboratories:
The Division provides diagnostic services through its diagnostic laboratories. The joint laboratories include Cell Culture, Immunology-Virology, and Bacteriology-Mycology labs. The routine activities of these labs briefly include:
- Determination of pathogenic agents of bacterial, viral and mycotic infections by routine culture methods and serology methods (including ELISA, slide and tube agglutinations),
- Antimicrobial evaluations (including antibiogram of clinical or environmental isolates and antimicrobial effects of novel biological and chemical agents),
- Cell culture for virus isolation and evaluation of effects of novel agents,
- Genetic and molecular evaluations for detection and genetic studies by methods including PCR (diagnostic and research), SDS-PAGE, blotting, and cloning.
The major research focus of veterinary microbiology is infectious diseases including virology and bacteriology.
Undergraduate Courses:
Immunology and serology
An introduction to the basic aspects of humoral and cell-mediated immunity, the role of immunological reactions in infectious disease pathogenesis, hypersensitivity, and autoimmune disease. Students will study the principles of immunity to bacteria, viruses and parasites and the fundamentals of vaccination. Students will also be familiarized with diagnostic techniques for assessing the immune system and for diagnosis of immune-mediated disease.
Veterinary Virology and viral diseases
It is divided into two main parts including general virology and viral disease. In general virology, the main principles of virus classification, structure, replication, genetics, basic mechanisms of viral infections, spread and control of viral diseases. In the second part, the main families of pathogenic viruses and the most important diseases are introduced.
General bacteriology
This course provides basic knowledge on the classification, structure, metabolism, genetics, mechanisms of replication, pathogenesis, culture conditions, antimicrobial agents and methods for sterilization and control of bacterial infections and contaminations, laboratory practices and methods.
Veterinary bacteriology and bacterial disease
This course provides basic knowledge of the common and most important agents of bacterial diseases of animals, with emphasis on those present in Iran. Coverage of specific diseases/organisms includes distribution, epidemiology, mechanisms of pathogenesis, immunity, diagnosis, and prevention. Laboratory sessions emphasizing the proper collection and transportation of bacteriologic specimens, basic processing of clinical/pathological specimens and identification of bacterial organisms commonly present in those specimens are offered.
Academic Members:
- Dr. Katayoun Nofouzi
- Dr. Yaser Jafari-Khataylou
- Dr. Sahar Nouri
- Dr. Mohammadreza Ghorani