North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is an 1890 land-grant doctoral research university dedicated to learning, discovery, and community engagement. The University provides a wide range of educational opportunities from bachelor’s to doctoral degrees in both traditional and online environments. With an emphasis on preeminence in STEM and a commitment to excellence in all its educational, research, and outreach programs, North Carolina A&T fosters a climate of economic competitiveness that prepares students for the global society.
The Department of Animal Sciences is one of four departments in the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. Baccalaureate degree programs in the Department of Animal Sciences prepare students for careers in animal sciences, biotechnology, biomedical research, pharmaceutical, and related industries, for graduate school, and for entry into veterinary and human medicine professional schools. It houses a Laboratory Animal Resources Unit, along with classrooms, class laboratories, and research laboratories equipped with leading-edge scientific instrumentation. The department also maintains the 492-acre University Farm, featuring active livestock (pig, poultry, small and large ruminants) and horticultural production, supporting, teaching, research, and extension. Researchers have active projects in the areas of animal nutrition and health; infectious disease; immunology and vaccinology; food security; sustainable livestock production, reproductive technology; meat science and muscle biology, bioinformatics, and genomic diversity of farm animals.
The Laboratory of Animal Immune Responses (LAIR) 800 sq.ft. laboratory space housed in the Department of Animal Sciences on the main campus of North Carolina A&T State University. The long- term research goals are focused on promoting positive immune responses of animals and humans through plant products and feed supplements. The lab utilizes cell and molecular techniques in tandem with in vitro and in vivo models to study immune regulation of animals and humans. The assay capabilities include, tissue culture, and molecular techniques such as western blotting, PCR, RT PCR, ELISA, flow cytometry.