(Photo provided by Arun Venugopalan)
By Alaina Dismukes
The Global Center for Aquatic Health and Food Security (GCAHFS) is excited to welcome Arun Venugopalan as an assistant research professor in the Mississippi State University Gulf Coast Aquatic Health Lab, located on the Mississippi coast. Venugopalan brings a wealth of knowledge, which will be critical in accomplishing the lab’s goals of investigating diseases and other challenges that affect the health of aquatic animals and the Gulf of Mexico, particularly the Mississippi Sound.
"Joining GCAHFS, affiliated with the university’s College of Veterinary Medicine, has given me the perfect opportunity to pursue my passion for identifying and studying emerging pathogens in aquatic environments,” Venugopalan said. "My ongoing commitment is to mitigate the consequences of these pathogens on aquatic organisms and their surrounding ecosystems, an objective that has been a priority of mine for several years. By serving the coastal communities of Mississippi, I will be able to contribute to developing a sustainable blue economy for the Mississippi Sound and promote ocean health."
Previously, Venugopalan earned a bachelor’s in fisheries science and a master’s in aquaculture in India before coming to MSU to earn a Ph.D. in infectious disease, specializing in aquatic virology, from the College of Veterinary Medicine with a minor in computer science. He also completed postdoctoral training at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) in Massachusetts, focusing on the role of viruses in shellfish cancer development. Presently, he serves as a guest investigator at WHOI and a reviewing editor for the American Society of Microbiology's MRA journal.
"We are very excited to have Dr. Venugopalan join the expanding GCAHFS team. His impressive experience and research track record are a wonderful addition to the new MSU Gulf Coast Aquatic Health Lab," said Stephen Reichley, GCAHFS associate director and principal investigator for the funding to establish the MSU Gulf Coast Aquatic Health Lab. "Arun will join our other faculty and staff on the coast who are part of the GCAHFS Gulf Coast Aquatic Health Program who are employing veterinary care and innovative research to address pressing One Health issues on the Mississippi Coast."
"In recent years, GCAHFS has made notable strides towards meeting the aquatic animal research and disease diagnostic needs of the Mississippi Gulf Coast," Venugopalan said. "As a new member of this multidisciplinary team, I aim to contribute my expertise in genomics, bioinformatics, and molecular diagnostics to advance this mission further.
"My primary objective is to develop strategies that are environmentally and economically sustainable, to promote the well-being of aquatic animals and enhance the quality of life of coastal communities in Mississippi."
The Global Center for Aquatic Health and Food Security works to reduce world hunger and improve aquatic animal health. The Mississippi State University Gulf Coast Aquatic Health Lab is made possible by $1.8 million in funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. To learn more, visit the project’s webpage at www.gcahfs.msstate.edu/projects/msu-gulf-coast-aquatic-health-laboratory.