A. Sally Davis

A. Sally DavisAssistant Professor of Experimental Pathology

BA (1992) Computer Science w/ Education, Dartmouth College
Graduate Certificate (1992) Middle School Sciences, Dartmouth College
DVM 2007, North Carolina State University
PhD (2014) Comparative Biomedical Sciences, North Carolina State University
Diplomate ACVP

Phone: 785-532-3789
Email: asally@vet.k-state.edu
LinkedIn: www.Linkedin.com/in/asallydavis

 

Research and interests:

Dr. Davis runs the Laboratory of Investigative Pathology, which conducts research focused on visualizing host-pathogen interactions for infectious agents in order to elucidate their pathogenesis mechanisms. Current work focuses on influenza A, Rift Valley fever virus, coronaviruses including SARS-CoV-2 and Pneumocystis. In addition to her own research, she collaborates with the Arthropod-borne Animal Disease Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, USDA; the University of Pretoria Department of Paraclinical Sciences; the Critical Care Medicine Department, Clinical Center, NIH and the Experimental Pathology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH. Dr. Davis's work leverages traditional pathology, virology and molecular biology techniques as well as a diversity of microscopy techniques including confocal, multi-label immunofluorescence, electron microscopy and digital microscopy. She has a strong interest in the intersection of medicine and technology and has a specific concentration in biospecimen quality including pathogen inactivation techniques, particularly for high containment (biosafety level-3 and Select Agent) pathogens. Dr. Davis serves as an editorial board member for the Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry as well as Veterinary Pathology.

Dr. Davis is passionate about training scientists. Her lab is extremely student-centric, supporting both undergraduate and graduate students in their growth as scientists and veterinary students and veterinarians in their path to being clinician scientists. Through both formal training and mentoring these students write proposals, present their research at local and national conferences and co-author scientific papers. Additionally, trainees from other labs regularly train in techniques and DVM students rotate in the laboratory during the summer or during final year clinical rotations.

Dr. Davis is a 2014 graduate of the National Institutes of Health Comparative Biomedical Scientist Training Program in partnership with North Carolina State University. At the NIH, Sally conducted her PhD research on “Improving Experimental Models for the Study of Human Influenza Pathogenesis” in the laboratory of Dr. Jeffery K. Taubenberger, MD, PhD, Viral Pathogenesis and Evolution Section, Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Her research at NIAID focused on comparative pathogenesis and response of a diversity of mammalian species to a variety of influenza A viruses, including fully reconstructed 1918 and 2009 H1N1 pandemic strains. While at NIAID, she focused on methods development in the following areas: diminishing autofluorescence in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue; bioconjugation of viruses with fluorescent dyes; multi-label antibody and lectin based immunofluorescence and validation of in vitro cell models against human/animal tissues of origin.

Prior to her career in veterinary medicine, Dr. Davis spent 10 years in computer and business consulting culminating in senior management positions where she was responsible for new business generation, technical leadership of complex systems integration projects and development of global curricula in information technology topics.

Currently, not accepting new students.

Publications