Virginia Tech faculty member elected vice-president of American Society of Parasitologists

Dr. David S. Lindsay, of Blacksburg, Va., a professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology who is widely recognized for his expertise in veterinary and human parasitology, has been elected as vice-president of the American Society of Parasitiologists (ASP) for this year. He will serve in this position concurrently with his term as president of the American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists.

Founded in 1924, the American Society of Parasitologists is made up of over 1500 scientists from diversified professional backgrounds that are interested in parasitology. ASP’s members make contributions not only in their discipline, but across many areas of science.

Lindsay has been a major figure in international parasitology research for more than two decades. Much of his work has involved the examination of the protozoal parasites causing diseases like cryptosporidiosis, coccidiosis infection in pigs, and toxoplasmosis.

In the 1990’s, Lindsay was part of a USDA funded team that made a major breakthrough in the understanding of an economically significant parasitic disease afflicting cattle. Working in the college’s Center for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Disease, Lindsay and colleagues demonstrated that the dog is a “definitive host” for Neospora caninum, a single-celled parasitic organism that causes pregnant cows to abort their fetuses.

Lindsay worked at Auburn University and with the American Parasitology Institute at Beltsville, Maryland prior to joining the Virginia Tech faculty in 1997.

Promoted to full professor in 2003, Lindsay became the first member of the VMRCVM to receive the University’s Alumni Award for Research Excellence in 2003.

Among numerous professional honors and awards, Lindsay was presented the Henry Baldwin Ward Medal in 2000 from the American Society of Parasitologists. He has also been twice awarded the Pfizer Award for Research Excellence, once in 1996 and again in 2002.

Lindsay has been active in parasitology research since 1978. He has published over 310 papers, 21 book chapters, one book, and co-edited one book.