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Jan Lovy, Ph.D.

Associate Professor

Department of Public & Ecosystem Health

Public & Ecosystem Health

S2-004 Schurman Hall
Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine
Ithaca, NY 14853

Email: janlovy@cornell.edu

Profile

Research/Clinical Interests

Dr. Lovy’s research centers around understanding fish diseases and the ecological factors that contribute to disease in aquatic ecosystems. Fisheries populations are faced with anthropogenic stressors that include urbanization, habitat alteration, and climate change, which often influence disease. With the goal to mitigate disease issues contributing to declining fish populations, Dr. Lovy utilizes applied field and experimental research, combined with multidisciplinary tools, including histopathology, genetics, and epidemiology, to help propose management strategies aimed at supporting fish health and fisheries conservation. His interests include working with threatened and endangered species, as well as providing research to support fish health for sustainable aquaculture. As fisheries conservation is driven by collaborative agency efforts, Dr. Lovy’s research aims to engage with federal, state, tribal, and industry partners to best support emerging issues in aquatic animal health.   

Education

  • Ph.D. (2008) Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Canada
    • Department of Pathology and Microbiology, emphasis in Fish Health
  • B.S. in Aquaculture (2002) Unity College, ME USA

Biography/Professional Experience

  • 2026 – present: Associate Professor, Department of Public and Ecosystem Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA.
  • 2022 – 2026: Research Biologist in Aquatic Animal Health (GS-13), U.S. Geological Survey, Western Fisheries Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA. 
  • 2012 – 2022: Research Scientist in Aquatic Animal Health, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Fish and Wildlife, Oxford, New Jesey, USA.
  • 2010 – 2012: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Pacific Biological Station, Aquatic Animal Health Unit, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada.
  • 2008 – 2010: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Departments of Pathology and Microbiology/Biomedical Sciences, University of Prince Edward Island, Atlantic Veterinary College, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada

Awards and Honors

  • 2008:   “Governor Generals Award, Gold Medal” awarded for highest academic standing as a doctoral student in the Atlantic Veterinary College, UPEI
  • 2007:   “Best Student Presentation”, 7th International Symposium on Fish Parasites, Viterbo, Italy
  • 2007:   “Young Scientist Award, Free Registration Fee”, 7th International Symposium on Fish Parasites, Viterbo, Italy
  • 2005:   “Best Student Presentation”, Eastern Fish Health Workshop, Shepherdstown, WV
  • 2004:   Atlantic Veterinary College Graduate Stipend Scholarship

Professional/Academic Affiliations

  • Affiliate Graduate Faculty, Oregon State University, Department of Microbiology, Corvallis, Oregon (2024-present).
  • American Fisheries Society, Fish Health Section 

Publications

Selected Publications

Book Chapter:

Lovy J. and Speare DJ. 2026. Loma salmonae and Related Species. In: Fish Parasites: Pathobiology and Protection. Second Edition. Editors: Woo PTK & Buchman K. CABI, Wallingford, UK. pp 106-129. https://doi.org/10.1079/9781800628748.0006

Peer-reviewed Publications:

  1. Lovy J, Hall SA, Ostberg CO, Greer JB, Chase DM, Kent GMA, Kuzan TJ, Conway CM. 2026. Poor population recovery of Lake Washington Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in Pacific Northwestern USA may be associated with disease caused by Ceratonova shasta in an urban-influenced watershed. Parasitology Research. In press. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-026-08679-1
  2. Lovy J, Toffan A, Abbadi M, Das N, Neugebauer J, Batts W, Clarke P. 2025. Detection and genetic characterization of redspotted grouper nervous necrosis virus and a novel genotype of nervous necrosis virus in black sea bass from the U.S. Atlantic coast. Viruses 17: 1234. https://doi.org/10.3390/v17091234   
  3. Lovy J, Iwanowicz LR, Welch T, Allam B, Getchell RG, Garaci-Yee S, Snyder J, Das N. 2024. Seasonal mortality of wild Atlantic menhaden is caused by a virulent clone of Vibrio (Listonella) anguillarum; Implications for biosecurity along the Atlantic coastal United States. Transboundary and Emerging Diseases 8816604. https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/8816604
  4. Raines CD, Lovy J, Phelps NBD, Mor S, Ng T, Iwanowicz LR. 2024. Discovery and genomic characterization of a novel Hepadnavirus from clinically normal anadromous alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus). Viruses 16: 824. https://doi.org/10.3390/v16060824 
  5. Friend SE, Lewis NE, Lovy J. 2021. Myxozoan diversity varies in river herring according to life history stage and habitat. Parasitology Research 120: 3709-3723. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-021-07329-y
  6. Long A, LeBlanc F, Arseneau JR, Gagne N, Einer-Jensen K, Lovy J, Polinski M, Jones S, Garver K. 2021. Distribution and pathogenicity of two cutthroat trout virus (CTV) genotypes in Canada. Viruses 13: 1730. https://doi.org/10.3390/v13091730
  7. Lovy J, Yanong RPE, Stilwell JM, Waltzek TB, Shelley JP, Pouder DB, Wolf JC, Camus AC. 2021. Tetra disseminated microsporidiosis: a novel disease in ornamental fish caused by Fusasporis stethaprioni n. gen. n. sp. Parasitology Research 120: 497-514. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-020-06988-7
  8. Lovy J, Lewis NL, Friend SE, Able KW, Shaw MJ, Hinks GS, Clarke PJ. 2020. Host preferences and habitat influence on abundance of Lernaeenicus radiatus (Copepoda: Pennellidae) in the mid-Atlantic Bight of the northwest Atlantic Ocean. Marine Ecology Progress Series 642: 83-101. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps13326
  9. Lovy J, Friend SE. 2020. Black sea bass are a host in the developmental cycle of Lernaeenicus radiatus (Copepoda: Pennellidae): insights into parasite morphology, gill pathology and genetics. Parasitology 147: 478-490. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0031182019001781
  10. Lovy J, Friend SE, Lewis NL. 2019. Seasonal intestinal coccidiosis in wild bluegill Lepomis macrochirus is associated with a spring bacterial epizootic. Journal of Fish Diseases 42: 1697-1711. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfd.13095
  11. Hyatt MW, Waltzek TB, Kieran E, Frasca S, Lovy J. 2018. Diagnosis and treatment of multi-species fish mortality attributed to Enteromyxum leei while in quarantine at a U.S. aquarium. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 132: 37-48. https://doi.org/10.3354/dao03303
  12. Lovy J, Friend SE, Al-Hussinee L, Waltzek TB. 2018. First detection of carp edema virus from a wild carp population in North America. Diseases of Aquatic Organisms 131: 177-186. https://doi.org/10.3354/dao03296
  13. Grunberg RL, Brianik CJ, Lovy J, Sukhdeo MVK. 2018. Divergence in Alewife Alosa pseudoharengus (Actinopterygii, Cluepidae), life history alters parasite communities. Hydrobiolgia. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-018-3743-4
  14. Lovy J & Friend SE. 2017. Phylogeny and morphology of Ovipleistophora diplostomuri n. sp. (Microsporidia) with a unique dual-host tropism for bluegill sunfish and the digenean parasite Posthodiplostomum minimum (Strigeatida). Parasitology 144: 1898-1911. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0031182017001305
  15. Lovy J, Dicarlo-Emery D & Hutcheson JM. 2017. A bacterium with close genetic identity to Pseudomonas mandelii associated with spring fish kills in wild bluegill Lepomis macrochirus Rafinesque and pumpkinseed sunfish Lepomis gibbosus (Linnaeus). Journal of Fish Diseases 40: 1757-1764. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfd.12642
  16. Lovy J & Hutcheson JM. 2016. Myxobolus mauriensis n. sp. infecting rib cartilage of young-of-the-year river herring in New Jersey: Notes on pathology, prevalence, and genetics. Journal of Parasitology 102: 419-428. https://doi.org/10.1645/15-939