LABORATORY PERSONNEL

Postdoctoral Scholars

• Jianqiang Zhang, MD, MS, PhD

Jianqiang Zhang finished his Medical Degree in 1996 at the Beijing Medical University, Beijing, China.  In 1999 he earned his M.S. degree at the Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine, Beijing, China. Subsequently he conducted his Ph.D. research under the mentorship of Dr. Peter J. Timoney at the Gluck Equine Research Center, University of Kentucky, studying the molecular biology of equine arteritis virus and establishing an in vitro model of persistent equine arteritis virus infection, and received his degree in 2005.  Currently he is a post-doctoral scholar in Drs. Udeni Balasuriya and Peter Timoney’s laboratory.  His current research is focused on the identification of genetic determinants of virulence and abortigenic potential of equine arteritis virus.

Staff Research Analyst

• Kathleen M. Shuck, BS, MS

Kathleen Shuck received a B.S. degree from Creighton University (Omaha, NE) and an M.S. degree from the University of Missouri (Columbia, MO).  She has extensive experience in cell culture, diagnostic virology and serology.  In 1999, she joined Dr. Peter Timoney in the OIE designated equine viral arteritis (EVA) laboratory.  Currently she is a Principal Research Analyst with primary responsibility for the laboratory’s operation as an OIE World Reference Center for EVA.  She is also involved in training visiting scholars and graduate students in this laboratory as well as research projects under the direction of Dr. Udeni Balasuriya.   

Graduate Students

• Yun-Young Go, DVM, MS

Yun Young Go received both her D.V.M. and M.S. in Veterinary Medicine from Konkuk University, South Korea. After completing her M.S. degree in 2002, she worked as an equine veterinarian at the Korean Racing Association’s Equine Hospital. In 2005, she joined the program as a graduate research assistant pursuing a Ph.D. degree in equine virology. She is currently working in Drs. Udeni Balasuriya and Peter Timoney’s laboratory. Her research interest is equine viral diseases with particular emphasis on equine arteritis virus.

• Zhengchun Lu, MD, MS

Zhengchun Lu received her Medical Degree in 2002 from Jiangsu University, China.  In 2005, she completed an M.S. degree at the Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands. Her master’s thesis was entitled “The role of non-structural protein 2 and 3 in arterivirus replication complex formation”. Subsequently in 2006, she came to the Department of Veterinary Science, University of Kentucky to pursue a Ph.D. degree in molecular virology.  At the Gluck Equine Research Center, Zhengchun Lu is continuing her research on equine arteritis virus under the mentorship of Dr. Udeni Balasuriya.

High School Students

• Douglas Denniston; Math, Science and Technology Center, Paul Laurence Dunbar High School