Jan Lovy, Ph.D.

Jan utilizes various laboratory approaches to monitor for infectious pathogens in fish populations and establishes experimental disease models to investigate drivers for pathogen transmission and disease severity. An emphasis on field monitoring efforts ensures that research is directed at real issues facing our fisheries populations. Jan’s research interests are in fish pathology, characterization of novel infectious pathogens, and parasitology, particularly understanding the ecological drivers for parasite transmission. Histopathology is an important tool for his research in disease monitoring and for evaluating disease severity. Currently, Jan oversees the histology laboratory, which is equipped for conducting routine histology, electron microscopy, and microscopical imaging.

Prior to joining the WFRC, Jan has been able to acquire experience from various laboratories. He completed his early career research, including graduate school and postdoctoral research, in Eastern and Western Canada where he specialized in fish pathology, parasitology, virology, and immunology. His postdoctoral experience included a stop at the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic to gain skills in molecular parasitology. He then spent 10 years leading the aquatic animal health program for the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection’s Fish and Wildlife Program. There he worked with fisheries biologists to monitor and research fish diseases. During that time, he developed a marine fish health program with projects that included working with threatened anadromous river herring populations, parasite ecology in black sea bass, and leading research to understand annual epizootic mortality of Atlantic menhaden.