Investigators and Program Directors
Melissa Behr
Research Scientist, Wadsworth Center, Zoonotic Disease and Clinical Virology
Director of the Laboratory of Anatomic Pathology
Adjunct Assistant Professor, School of Public Health, Biomedical Sciences
D.V.M., Cornell University
Post Doctoral Fellowship, Inhalation Toxicology Research Institute
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Pathologists
Email: behr@wadsworth.org
Research Interests
The Laboratory of Anatomic Pathology collaborates with Wadsworth scientists who use mouse models of genetic, toxicologic or infectious diseases, or who need assistance with slide preparation or light microscopy. Our main focus is the mouse model of infection with West Nile virus, but we have also worked with models of cryptococcosis, monocytic ehrlichiosis, other viral infections, acetaminophen and other toxicities, and genetic disorders of skin and brain. We have also prepared slides for microscopic examination of mosquitoes, fruit flies and fungus-infiltrated wood, as well as many different special tissues such as eye, bone marrow, blood, tooth, and nasal passages. This allows us to obtain images of lesions resulting from infections or other insults, or to characterize the effect of mutation in an infectious organism by studying the lesions in the mouse model of the infection. All research protocols are reviewed by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of Wadsworth Center. In addition to routine and special tissue stains, other techniques available in the laboratory include cryosections and immunohistochemistry.
Contact Information
Email: behr@wadsworth.org .