Jeffrey Mital, PhD

Jeffrey Mital, PhD

Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences 

Jeffrey.Mital@quinnipiac.edu 

BS, SUNY College Geneseo, Geneseo, NY

PhD, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT

I earned my undergraduate degree in Biochemistry from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Geneseo.  I received my PhD in Microbiology and Molecular Genetics from the University of Vermont (UVM).  While at UVM, I worked on the molecular mechanisms of Toxoplasma gondii pathogenesis.  Toxoplasma is a human pathogen that causes significant medical issues in immunocompromised individuals and neonates and also serves as a model organism for studying Plasmodium, the causative agent of malaria. After UVM, I accepted a post-doctoral fellowship at the Rocky Mountain Laboratory in Hamilton, MT.  Rocky Mountain Laboratories is part of the National Institutes of Health, which is one of the U.S. government’s main branches of scientific research.  While at the NIH, I studied the ways in which Chlamydia takes over human host cells for its own benefit.  Chlamydia is the most common bacterial cause of human sexually transmitted disease and also causes significant ocular infections world-wide.

I joined the Biomedical Sciences department in 2012, bringing my enthusiasm for teaching and research to Quinnipiac University.  I teach at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.  I have taught a wide range of courses, including undergraduate Research and Technology and Immunology Lab.  I particularly enjoy teaching Research and Technology, as it is our freshman BMS course, which allows me to get to know all of the freshman BMS majors and introduce them to various facets of biomedical sciences, with a focus on clinical trials, translational science, and the impact that science and society have on each other.  I also teach graduate Immunology and Antimicrobial Therapy.  At Quinnipiac, I have continued researching chlamydial pathogenesis by developing student-led projects where students learn to work safely with human pathogens in a biosafety cabinet, as well as learn a number of traditional and contemporary scientific techniques, including working with recombinant DNA, making mutants using molecular biology, and using confocal fluorescent microscopy to visualize changes in human cells and Chlamydia.  My research students have presented at a wide range of local and regional scientific conferences, including awards for best poster presentation.  In teaching, research, and advising my goal is to create an atmosphere where students can explore their scientific passions and learn the skills necessary to identify and excel in their chosen career field

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