Kapur is internationally recognized for his pioneering work in completely sequencing the genomes of several of the world’s major human and animal pathogens, including Pasteurella, Mycobacterium, Staphylococcus, Brucella, Lawsonia, and Cryptosporidium. The results of these studies have provided key insights into how microbes cause disease and have led to the development of powerful new diagnostic tests and novel vaccines with major global implications in disease control.

A holder of six U.S. patents, Kapur also leads an international consortium of scientists studying Johne’s disease, a chronic inflammatory intestinal disease of ruminants such as cattle, goats, deer, and antelope. Johne’s disease affects about 22 percent of dairy herds in the United States and causes substantial economic losses to farmers worldwide. The bacteria that causes Johne’s disease also has been associated with Crohn’s disease in humans and may represent a potential food-safety concern.

“Our collaborative work on Johne’s disease has led to improvements in diagnostic tests, a better understanding of mechanisms of disease transmission and pathogenesis, and the identification of new vaccine candidates,” Kapur explains. “Our consortium also has enabled the development of online training programs on Johne’s disease for veterinarians and producers.”

What drew Kapur to Penn State? “The greatest strengths of the Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences are the extraordinarily high caliber and productivity of the faculty, the incredible diversity of programmatic interests, and the direct linkage to the real world through Penn State’s Animal Diagnostic Laboratory and the cooperative-extension program,” says Kapur, who earned his doctorate in veterinary science from Penn State in 1991—in the same department that he now has returned to lead.

As the university continues to invest in new infectious disease laboratory facilities and faculty, Kapur believes the future is bright—for teaching as well as research. “This is an extremely important area that impacts human, animal, and plant health,” Kapur points out. “Our new and successful undergraduate major in Immunology and Infectious Disease is a testament to our strong commitment not only to infectious-disease research, but also to our desire to leverage our excellence in this area to enhance undergraduate training opportunities at Penn State".

—Chuck Gill