GRADUATE RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES IN
POULTRY SCIENCE AT VIRGINIA TECH
Specific areas of cutting-edge research opportunities
include:
management practices or interventions to reduce
food-borne pathogens in both pre- and post-harvest phases of commercial
poultry operations
intestinal mechanisms of immunity to pathogens with
emphasis on innate and non-specific immunity of the intestine and how it can
be modulated, by vaccine administration, non-antibiotic dietary inclusions, or
other means, to increase disease resistance in poultry
early nutrition of broilers and turkeys including strategies to
increase the availability of nutrients, increase gut maturation, use of
pre-starter diets, etc…
feed intake regulation in broilers and turkeys
environmental nutrition, including phosphorus,
nitrogen, trace minerals
comparison of immune responses and disease resistance
of different broiler breeds
Laboratory facilities:
State of the art laboratory facilities to conduct nutritional, immunological, physiological and molecular based research exist. Equipment available is capable of proximate analysis of feedstuffs, immunological, proteomics, histological, and microbiologic techniques.
Research facilities:
There are presently two separate farms at which to conduct poultry (pullet, leghorn, broiler, and/or turkeys) research. The farms have facilities to conduct floor pen (118 pens), battery (200 pens), cage (layers-576; pullets-192), and turkey and broiler breeder research.
Assistantship Opportunities:
John Lee Pratt Research Fellowship: This
fellowship is a very competitive fellowship with base monthly assistantship
stipends ranging from $1,610 for first-year M.S. students to $1,698 for Ph.D.
students. Additionally, research money is also available for students
receiving a Pratt fellowship in the amount of $3500 for M.S. and $6500 for
Ph.D. student projects. Waivers of tuition, but not of the comprehensive fee,
are provided to students holding a Pratt Fellowship.
Graduate Teaching Assistantship: Base monthly
assistantship stipends range from $1,437 for first-year M.S. students to
$1,566 for Ph.D. students who have completed the preliminary examination.
Waivers of tuition are provided to students holding graduate assistantships
and fellowships.
For more information please contact Audrey McElroy (540-231-8750;amcelroy@vt.edu), Curtis Novak (540-231-5087; cnovak@vt.edu), Mike Denbow (540-231-6843; denbowdm@vt.edu) or consult: http://www.apsc.vt.edu/Academics/graduate/index.cfm.
