Research
The faculty-led programs in the Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences (VBS) are aligned along the “One-Health” continuum. The One-Health commission includes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States Department of Agriculture, the National Institutes of Health, American Veterinary Medical Association, American Medical Association, and the U.S. National Environmental Health Association and seeks to address emerging diseases that affect both human and animal health. 
The One-Health approach promotes all-inclusive collaborations between clinicians (including physicians, veterinarians, etc.), nurses, biomedical research scientists, public health scientists and epidemiologists, and scientists in the environmentally related disciplines to address emerging disease issues and protect human and animal health.
The Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences is uniquely positioned to advance a single well-integrated “One Health” program with forward looking undergraduate and graduate programs, and a research and outreach agenda wherein the whole is significantly greater than the sum-of-the-parts. During FY 2010, there were over 350 students enrolled in departmental undergraduate majors, more than 70 doctoral students trained by Department faculty, and more than $25 million in extramural grant awards received. The faculty within the Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences consist of 3 broad clusters including:
Veterinary Diagnostics and Public Health. This includes clinically trained and basic science faculty with broad interests in animal, zoonotic, and human disease diagnostics including programs in veterinary extension and food safety programs focused on the one-health agenda;
Infectious Diseases and Immunology. This includes clinically trained and basic science faculty with broad interest in infectious diseases and immunology including faculty from the Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics (CIDD) with a focus on better understanding molecular mechanisms and developing innovative approaches to treat and prevent infectious and other diseases of animals and humans along the one-health continuum; and,
Molecular Toxicology and Carcinogenesis. This includes clinically trained and basic science faculty with broad interests in toxicology and cancer including members of the Center for Molecular Toxicology and Carcinogenesis, with a focus on determining the mechanisms of toxicity of a wide range of environmentally important chemicals, the effects of low dose exposure of these chemicals to animal and human health, and the development of cancers (liver, skin, colon) aligned along the one-health continuum.
These three clusters are seamlessly integrated to promote and protect animal and human health and support the instruction of three rapidly growing undergraduate majors in the Department, fulfill the mission of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Penn State, and meet and exceed the needs and expectations of our internal and external stakeholders.
