Dr. Dhruv N. Desai, DVM, MS, PhD
Assistant Professor of Foundational Biomedical Sciences
College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences
I work at the interface of veterinary microbiology, infectious diseases, diagnostic microbiology, immunology, antimicrobial discovery, genomics, One Health, and translational biomedical research. My academic mission is to connect rigorous laboratory science with veterinary education, diagnostic excellence, and infectious disease preparedness.
A veterinary academic profile built around microbiology, diagnostics, and translational infectious disease research.
My professional training spans veterinary medicine, immunology, veterinary microbiology, clinical diagnostic microbiology, virology, molecular diagnostics, antimicrobial resistance, genomics, vaccinology, and One Health.
“My goal is to integrate teaching, research, diagnostics, and translational science to improve animal health, public health, and biomedical innovation.”
Teaching · Scholarship · Service · Diagnostic excellenceSelected research areas
Selected academic highlights are organized below for a clear professional overview.
Veterinary Diagnostic Microbiology
Bacteriology, mycology, virology, serology, molecular diagnostics, MALDI-TOF-based identification, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, quality-conscious diagnostic workflows, and clinical result interpretation.
Mycobacteria and Anti-infective Discovery
Translational mycobacterial research with emphasis on Mycobacterium avium complex, antimicrobial target discovery, MIC testing, kill-kinetics assays, CFU confirmation, luminescent reporter readouts, and CRISPRi-enabled functional genomics.
Genomics, AMR, and NGS
Whole-genome sequencing, phylogenetic analysis, virulence and resistance gene profiling, genomic surveillance, and integration of phenotype-genotype evidence in veterinary infectious disease research.
Virology and Immunology
Avian influenza, canine parvovirus, canine distemper virus, rotavirus, vaccine evaluation, immune-response measurement, molecular virology, and host-pathogen interaction studies.
AI in Animal Health
Academic interest in responsible AI applications for veterinary diagnostics, infectious disease surveillance, antimicrobial resistance, biosecurity, biosafety, vaccine discovery, and One Health research.
One Health and Public Health
Work connecting animal health, food safety, zoonotic infections, antimicrobial residues, infectious disease preparedness, diagnostic modernization, and public health-oriented scholarship.
Selected appointments and training
A concise professional timeline for visitors who want the big picture quickly.
Assistant Professor of Foundational Biomedical Sciences
College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California.
RTS/Scientist, Public Health Research Institute
Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. Translational anti-infective discovery for mycobacterial diseases and NTM-focused drug-target discovery.
Resident Veterinary Clinical Microbiologist / Postdoctoral Research Scientist
University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. Veterinary clinical microbiology, diagnostics, teaching, QA/QC, accreditation-aligned workflows, and infectious disease research.
Postdoctoral Research Scientist
The Ohio State University. Translational biomedical research, patient-derived cellular models, drug screening, microscopy, and laboratory establishment.
Assistant Lecturer and Doctoral Research Fellow
Veterinary microbiology teaching, diagnostic research, graduate mentorship, assay development, and animal infectious disease diagnostics in India.
Veterinary education grounded in diagnostics and research
Teaching experience includes DVM-level microbiology, virology, immunology, parasitology, food- and waterborne pathogens, diagnostic interpretation, and practical laboratory instruction.
Teaching interests
- Veterinary bacteriology, virology, mycology, and immunology
- Diagnostic microbiology and molecular diagnostics
- Infectious disease pathogenesis, antimicrobial resistance, and One Health
- Laboratory biosafety, quality systems, and research ethics
Mentoring and laboratory leadership
- Mentorship of DVM, graduate, undergraduate, and summer research trainees
- Training and competency assessment in diagnostic workflows and documentation
- Laboratory workflow coordination, troubleshooting, and quality-conscious service delivery
- Research planning, data interpretation, scientific writing, and presentation development
Representative scholarly work
This website displays selected representative publications only. Complete and current scholarly records are available through Google Scholar and ResearchGate.
Representative publications
- Complete genome sequences of two VIM-producing Enterobacterales isolated from dogs in the United States. Microbiology Resource Announcements, 2025.
- Vaccine development with artificial intelligence and machine learning: opportunities, challenges, perspectives, and emerging trends. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2024.
- Genome editing and its role in vaccine, diagnosis, and therapeutic advancement. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules, 2024.
- Artificial intelligence in public health: epidemiological surveillance for pandemic preparedness and equitable vaccine access. Vaccines, 2023.
- Nanoadjuvants: promising bioinspired and biomimetic approaches in vaccine innovation. ACS Omega, 2023.
- Patient-derived conditionally reprogrammed cells in prostate cancer research. Cells, 2024.
Scholarly profiles
Use these public profiles for the most current publication list, citation metrics, and academic updates.
Selected academic service, honors, and professional engagement
Selected highlights from academic and scholarly service.
Editorial and peer-review service
- Reviewed approximately 200 manuscripts across microbiology, veterinary science, infectious diseases, virology, immunology, public health, and biomedical sciences.
- Guest editor / special issue editor roles across Frontiers and MDPI journals.
- Review editor and editorial board service in microbiology, immunology, virology, veterinary science, molecular biosciences, and related areas.
Selected honors
- Invited Sigma Xi society membership
- AAVLD Trainee Travel Bemis Microbiology Award
- Vice Chancellor’s Gold Medal
- Dr. R. P. S. Ahlawat Best Internee Cash Prize Award
- ICAR-IVRI fellowship and NAU doctoral fellowship
Academic training
Veterinary medicine, immunology, microbiology, clinical microbiology residency training, and entrepreneurship.
Residency
Veterinary Clinical Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine.
PhD
Veterinary Microbiology / Virology, Navsari Agricultural University. Distinction.
MS / MVSc
Veterinary Immunology, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute. Distinction.
DVM / BVSc & AH
Veterinary Medicine, Navsari Agricultural University. Vice Chancellor Gold Medal and Best Internee Award.
Graduate Certificate
Entrepreneurship, Kerala Veterinary and Animal Science University.
Core identity
Veterinarian-scientist and veterinary clinical microbiologist with a One Health, diagnostics, and infectious disease research focus.
Connect through academic and professional platforms
For collaboration, academic engagement, editorial work, invited talks, teaching, mentoring, and research communication, please connect through the public professional profiles below.