CPB Research and Faculty
Through cross-disciplinary research, our faculty in Comparative Pathobiology uncover the mechanisms of disease to advance animal, human, and environmental health. Their expertise in fields such as infectious diseases, cancer biology, and toxicology drives discoveries that shape scientific understanding, guide public health, and prepare future biomedical leaders.
Grant N. Burcham, DVM, PhD, DACVP
Assistant Director Heeke Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory | Associate Clinical Professor in Comparative Pathobiology | Veterinary Diagnostician
Dr. Burcham was raised in southern Indiana, in the town of Bloomfield, in Greene County. He attended Hanover College for his Bachelors degree (earned in 2003) and later Purdue University for veterinary school. He graduated from vet school in 2007 and stayed on at Purdue for the next 7 years, completing a residency in anatomic pathology in 2010 and a PhD in comparative pathobiology in 2014. He is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists and is now practicing diagnostic pathology at the southern Indiana branch of the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, known as the Heeke Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. The lab is located on the campus of the Southern Indiana Purdue Agricultural Center (SIPAC), between the towns of French Lick and Jasper. His professional interests include diseases of ruminants and poultry, diseases associated with forages and pasture, diseases of native Hoosier wildlife, and infectious diseases in general.
Nelly O Elshafie
Clinical Assistant Professor, Section Head, Genomic Diagnostics
Dr. Nelly O. Elshafie is a Clinical Assistant Professor and Section Head of Genomic Diagnostics at the Indiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (ADDL), Purdue University. She leads the Genomic Diagnostics section, where she develops and implements next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based diagnostic assays for infectious diseases affecting companion animals, livestock, wildlife, and other veterinary species.
Her research interests include metagenomic sequencing, targeted next-generation sequencing, whole-genome sequencing, antimicrobial resistance, and the development and validation of molecular diagnostic assays. She has led and contributed to numerous projects involving emerging infectious diseases, vector-borne pathogens, respiratory pathogens, foodborne pathogens, and zoonotic disease surveillance. Her work also focuses on applying long-read sequencing technologies and advanced bioinformatics to enhance diagnostic accuracy and provide actionable information for veterinarians, producers, and public health professionals.
As Section Head of Genomic Diagnostics, Dr. Elshafie oversees the implementation of innovative genomic technologies in a clinical diagnostic setting, supports collaborative research across Purdue University and external institutions, and mentors students and trainees in molecular diagnostics and genomics. She is actively involved in multidisciplinary collaborations that bridge clinical diagnostics, infectious disease research, and precision veterinary medicine.
Dr. Elshafie's long-term goal is to advance genomic diagnostics by translating cutting-edge sequencing technologies into practical, high-impact tools that improve animal health, strengthen disease surveillance, and support One Health initiatives worldwide.
Viju Vijayan Pillai, BVSc, MS, PhD, DACVP
Assistant Professor of Anatomic Pathology
Dr. Viju Pillai is an Assistant Professor of Anatomic Pathology in the Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences at Purdue University. Dr. Pillai’s professional training started with a veterinary medicine degree and was followed by a PhD in reproductive biology from Cornell University. Subsequently, he completed his Anatomic Pathology residency at Purdue University and is board-certified in Anatomic Pathology by the American College of Veterinary Pathologists. Dr. Pillai’s research program is broadly focused on various aspects of reproductive and stem cell biology, with a particular emphasis on early embryonic and placental development, stem cells, 3D-organoid models, and the advancement and application of stem cell-based technologies to enhance human and animal health. Additionally, Dr. Pillai offers comparative pathology services to researchers across Purdue University, encompassing histopathology evaluations, consultation on model development, and provision of support for image and immunohistochemistry analysis.
