Dr. Joseph Pathakamuri

Part microbiologist, part mystic, Pathakamuri comes to Franciscan from India by way of British Columbia, where he completed his graduate studies. It was on his way to World Youth Day in 2000, when he stumbled across a group of Franciscan students, that Pathakamuri first learned about the University. He was so impressed by them that he briefly considered throwing in the towel on his doctoral studies and moving to Steubenville. That urge struck again when he visited campus the following year.

“I remember standing outside Cosmas and Damian [the University’s science hall], with my hands up against the glass, and thinking how much I’d like to see inside,” he recalls.

But it wasn’t for five more years, with his doctorate in hand and his new bride, Nicole, on his arm, that Pathakamuri finally made his way back to Franciscan…and his way into SS. Cosmas and Damian,where he now spends a good many of his waking hours.

Besides teaching students to probe the depths of the mysteries of God through science, Pathakamuri also keeps busy playing his Djembe (an African drum), often in impromptu jam sessions with students, cooking massive amounts of Indian food to feed the “starving” college kids he regularly invites over for dinner, and proudly walking his newborn son, Jerome, around campus.

“I’m thinking of making a T-shirt for him that says, ‘A dollar to hold me,’ on it. For Jerome’s education fund of course,” he explains. As for what he loves most about teaching at Franciscan?

“Teaching students in the morning, then receiving Jesus with them at noon.”

• Ph.D., Molecular Virology, 1998-2004: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
• Master of Technology, Biotechnology, 1996-1998: Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, A.P., India
• Master of Science, Virology, 1992-1994: Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, A.P., India
• Bachelors of Science, Biology, Physics and Chemistry, 1989-1992: Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, A.P., India

• Professor, 2006 to Present: Dept of Biology, Franciscan University of Steubenville, Steubenville, OH.
  • Area of Teaching: Biology and Nursing
  • Courses taught: Anatomy and Physiology, Medical Microbiology, Pathophysiology, Survey of biological sciences, Human Biology and Neurobiology
  • Area of research: Antibacterial and Brain-behavior studies using EEG
• Post-Doctoral Fellow, 2003-2005: Dept of Psychiatry and Brain Research, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
  • Field of study: Molecular Neuroscience.
  • Project title: “Functional analysis of brain expressed RING finger protein (BERP) and its distribution studies in the brain.”
• Ph.D., Graduate Student, 1998-2003: Insect Molecular Virology Lab, Pacific Agro-Food Research Centre and University of British Columbia, Summerland, BC, Canada
  • Project Title: “Analysis of Orgyia Pseudotsugata Multiple Nucleopolyhedrovirus (OpMNPV) transcription factors role in viral DNA replication.”
  • Field of study: Molecular Virology.
• M.Tech., Thesis 1997-1998: Cellular and Molecular Biology department, International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Patancheru, A.P., India
  • Field of Study: Biotechnology.
  • Project title: “Studies on the expression of soybean trypsin inhibitor (SBTI) gene in Escherichia coli and Nicotiana tabacum.” This project involved developing insect resistant tobacco plant by expressing Soybean trypsin inhibitor gene (SBTI) isolated from Soybean.
• M.Sc., Thesis, 1993-1994: Virology and Entomology departments, S.V. University and S.V. Agriculture college, Tirupati, A.P., India
  • Field of Study: Insect Virology.
  • Project title: “Studies on nucleopolyhedro viruses of Heliothis armigera and Spodoptera litura: purification, polypeptide analysis and serology”. This project involved studying insect viruses with the long term goal to use them as microbial pesticides.