Chase Christopher

• Ph.D., Immunology/Virology, University of Wisconsin, Madison 

• M.S., Virology, University of Wisconsin, Madison 

• D.V.M., Iowa State University, Ames 

• B.S., Pre-Veterinary Medicine, South Dakota State University, Brookings

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is a flavivirus and in the same family as hepatitus C virus. BVDV causes immunosuppression in adult animals and persistent infection in the developing fetus between 40-120 days of gestation. We are currently involved in a project to examine the effect of different strains of BVDV on neutrophil function. The project will involve culturing virus, collecting blood from cattle, preparation of blood for in vitro assays, performing phagosytosis and oxidative burst assays and the use of flow cytometry for analysis.