BBS PhD Program

Wildlife Conservation

Many of our researchers are a part of the Cornell Wildlife Health Center, and several faculty participate in the Joint Graduate Training Program (JGTP) with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI). Any prospective student interested in the JGTP must have made contact or have spent time working with a SCBI scientist. The applicant should address their SCBI connection and interest in the JGTP in their personal statement. Please note: successful JGTP applicants are only admitted after a PI from SCBI and Cornell have signed a funding agreement to support the applicant for 5 years. 

A student enrolled in the joint graduate training program has two research mentors, a Cornell Faculty member as your major advisor (Chair) and a scientific staff member from the SCBI to serve as your co-mentor.  Utilizing expertise from both institutions, you would be working collaboratively and would be expected to study on site at both locations (Cornell in Ithaca, NY and SCBI in Front Royal, VA).  During your 1st year you will have three lab rotations, including one at the SCBI.  This SCBI rotation could occur in the summer prior to or after your first academic year.

A list of our faculty and their research areas
Faculty Research Area(s)
Pic of Craig Altier
Craig Altier
Molecular basis of Salmonella pathogenesis; the genetic and environmental control of epithelial cell invasion
Pic of Dwight Bowman
Dwight Bowman
Soil transmitted parasites, parasites of wildlife, visceral larva migrans, host response to soil transmitted pathogens, detection of soil transmitted parasites
Pic of Adam Boyko
Adam Boyko
Canine genomics, including understanding the mechanisms and consequences of inbreeding, drift and adaptation in populations undergoing natural and artificial selection
Pic of Elizabeth Buckles
Elizabeth Buckles
How diseases of animals impact them on an individual and population level; conservation medicine
Pic of Yung-Fu Chang
Yung-Fu Chang
Mechanisms of infection, particularly leptospira and salmonella

Pic of Soon Hon Cheong
Soon Hon Cheong

Postpartum ovarian and uterine health; epidemiology; regenerative medicine; microfluidics and assisted reproductive techniques - lab

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Pierre Comizzoli

Reproductive physiology; fertility preservation and control for rare and endangered species; assisted reproductive techniques; cryobiology of gametes and reproductive tissues; biostabilization 

Faculty member located at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute- works with Smithsonian Joint Graduate Training Program students 


Kevin Cummings
Application of epidemiologic approaches to investigate the ecology and transmission of Salmonella and other foodborne pathogens among a wide variety of hosts
Pic of Maria Julia Bevilaqua Felippe
Maria Julia Bevilaqua Felippe
B cell response; neonatal and clinical immunology - lab

Kathryn Fiorella
Kathryn Fiorella

Planetary Health/One Health, fisheries, livelihoods, HIV/AIDS, nutrition, environmental change - lab
Pic of Rodman Getchell
Rodman Getchell
Molecular diagnostics and emerging diseases of fish; target animal safety studies for new aquaculture therapeutants and chemicals
Pic of Martin Gilbert
Martin Gilbert
Conservation impacts of wild carnivore health

Pic of Laura Goodman
Laura Goodman

Population and clinical studies; Pathogen discovery and surveillance, with focus areas on tick-borne disease and antimicrobial resistance; exploring the underlying mechanisms of infectious disease emergence and identifying biomarkers to detect and prevent emerging threats to humans and animals
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Yrjö Gröhn
Veterinary epidemiology; production medicine; public health; epidemiological and economic methods; risk analysis, communications, and policy
Pic of Matthew Hare
Matthew Hare
Population and conservation genetics of marine organisms; invasion biology; phylogeography and host-parasite co-evolution - lab
Pic of Holger Klinck
Holger Klinck
Bioacoustics
Pic of Hussni Mohammed
Hussni Mohammed
Epidemiology of infectious diseases; quantitative and analytical epidemiology; epidemiological risk assessment and analysis; veterinary public health and food safety; production medicine
Pic of Motoko Mukai
Motoko Mukai
Endocrine Disrupting Compounds (EDCs); neuroendocrine regulation; reproductive, developmental, and metabolic health effect of toxic compounds found in food - lab
Pic of Steven Osofsky
Steven Osofsky
The Wildlife Health & Health Policy Group's focus is on the conservation of free-ranging wildlife, as well as on the deeply intertwined relationships among sustainable conservation, system resilience, economic development, and human health and well-being – all as underpinned by environmental stewardship
Pic of Ned Place
Ned Place
Mammalian reproductive biology with a focus on the life history of trade-offs associated with timing of hormone secretion and reproductive effort; sexual differentiation; female reproductive aging - lab
Pic of Krysten Schuler
Krysten Schuler
Wildlife conservation; infectious diseases; population medicine and epidemiology; One Health
Pic of Vimal Selvaraj
Vimal Selvaraj
Mammalian reproductive physiology; stem cells; technologies for wildlife conservation - lab

Nucharin Songsasen

Nucharin Songsasen

Reproductive biology; cyrobiology; wildlife conservation

Faculty member located at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute- works with Smithsonian Joint Graduate Training Program students 

Pic of Alexander Travis
Alexander Travis
Reproductive biology focusing on sperm and spermatogonial stem cells; wildlife conservation through approaches integrating studies of animals, humans, and the environments they share - lab