Andy Alhassan, DVM, MSc, PhD
Associate Professor
Biography
Dr. Andy Alhassan is an Associate Professor in the School Veterinary Medicine, Pathobiology. He teaches bacteriology & mycology and a molecular biology course to graduate-level students. In addition, he is director for the Bacteriology/Mycology and Molecular Biology Diagnostic Services. Prior to joining SGU, Dr. Andy Alhassan worked as a research associate scientist with Dr Roman Ganta at the Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Diseases (CEVBD), Kansas State University (KSU) and a recipient of the Postdoctoral Scholars Program (PSP) fellowship offered by the School of Veterinary Medicine, SGU. He also worked as a postdoctoral scientist at the New England Biolabs (NEB), Massachusetts where he focused on the development and evaluation of diagnostic assays for neglected tropical diseases.
Dr. Andy Alhassan’s research interests are focused on vector-borne diseases. He has worked on several pathogens of veterinary and medical importance, including the tick-borne protozoal pathogens Babesia and Theileria sp.; Filarial parasite, Onchocerca volvulus (agent of river blindness in humans), Rickettsia sp. Anaplasma sp., and Borrelia sp., as well as Trypanosoma spp.
Dr. Andy Alhassan is interested in developing and improving diagnostic assays for the identification and characterization of animal, zoonotic and foodborne pathogens using molecular-based methods. He is interested in promoting research, training, and capacity building. He has strong interest in collaborative research, nationally and internationally, and appreciate the value of cross-disciplinary research and One-health approach to addressing the impact and threat of infectious diseases globally.
Dr. Andy Alhassan has authored several scientific papers in peer review journals and a book chapter.
Contact Information
Areas of Interest
- Infectious Diseases
- Zoonoses
- Vector-Borne Diseases
- Genomics
- Molecular Biology
- Molecular Diagnostics
Affiliations
- Adjunct professor, School of public health and preventive medicine, School of medicine, SGU
Selected Publications
- Molecular detection and characterization of Anaplasma platys and Ehrlichia canis in dogs from the Caribbean. A Alhassan, P Hove, B Sharma, V Matthew-Belmar, I Karasek,…Ticks and Tick-borne Diseases. 2021.
- Development of a Multiplex PCR and Magnetic DNA Capture Assay for Detecting Six Species Pathogens of the Genera Anaplasma and Ehrlichia in Canine, Bovine, Caprine and Ovine. B Sharma, R R Ganta, D Stone, A Alhassan, M Lanza-Perea, ... Pathogens. 2021.
- Multiple Ehrlichia chaffeensis Genes Critical for Its Persistent Infection in a Vertebrate Host Are Identified by Random Mutagenesis Coupled with In Vivo Infection. Wang Y, Nair ADS, A Alhassan, DC Jaworski, H Liu, K Trinkl, P Hove, ...Infection and immunity 2020.
- Rickettsia rickettsii whole-cell antigens offer protection against rocky mountain spotted fever in the canine host. A Alhassan, H Liu, J McGill, A Cerezo, LUMR Jakkula, ADS Nair, ... Infection and immunity. 2019.
- Colorimetric tests for diagnosis of filarial infection and vector surveillance using non-instrumented nucleic acid loop-mediated isothermal amplification (NINA-LAMP). Catherine B. Poole, Zhiru Li, Andy Alhassan, Dylan Guelig, Steven Diesburg, Nathan A. Tanner,Yinhua Zhang,Thomas C. Evans Jr., Paul LaBarre, Samuel Wanji, Robert A. Burton, Clotilde K. S. Carlow. PloS One. 2017.
Selected Projects
- Genome analyses of COVID-19 positive human, canine and feline subjects using Next-Generation Sequencing technologies.
- Bartonella Infections in Cats and Cat Fleas in Grenada: “One Health” Approach to Evaluating the Risk of transmission of Bartonella in Grenada.
- Prevalence of Dirofilario immitis in mosquitoes and surveillance for genetic markers associated with macrocyclic lactone resistance in Grenada.
- Characterization and Anti-fungal Susceptibility Pattern of Fungi Isolated from Dogs and Cats in Grenada.
- Characterization of Anaplasma marginale strains from Grenada.
- One Health” approach to analyze the burden of Extended Spectrum β-lactamase Escherichia coli, spp and Salmonella in companion animals, humans and effluent water from hospitals in Grenada.
SVM Research Faculty
View the SVM faculty involved in research and SVM Adjunct and Cooperating faculty who collaborate with SVM researchers. SVM faculty also collaborate with many other researchers at institutions in North and South America, Europe, Africa and Asia. These collaborations are reflected within the individual SVM faculty research profile.
