Louisiana State University's School of Veterinary Medicine announces new dean

Louisiana State University recently announced Joel Baines,VMD, PhD, as its new dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine. Pending approval by the university’s board of supervisors, he will take his post Sept. 1.

“We are pleased to announce Joel Baines as the next dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine,” LSU Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Stuart Bell says in a release from the school. “Dr. Baines is well-respected in the field of veterinary medicine and brings a wealth of knowledge and research with him to LSU.” Baines is the current associate dean for research and graduate education and the James Law Professor of Virology at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine in Ithaca, N.Y.

Baines has a background in microbiology and received his bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University in 1979. He received his VMD degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1983 and his PhD from Cornell University in 1988, studying the molecular virology of feline coronaviruses. He received postdoctoral training as a fellow in the laboratory of Bernard Roizman, ScD, studying the molecular virology of herpes simplex virus replication. Baines is a professor in the Cornell Department of Microbiology and Immunology and has been with the department since 1993.

“I am thrilled to accept this position and look forward to facilitating the education, research and service missions of the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine,” Baines says. said in the LSU release. “I am also eager to facilitate opportunities that foster synergistic collaborations with colleagues at partner colleges, campuses and institutions to advance basic and clinical discovery in both veterinary and human medicine.”

The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine celebrated its 40th year in 2013. The anniversary launched a fundraising plan—the “ABC Challenge”—to augment three programs: advancing cures for cancer, biomedical research and companion animal health facilities and equipment enhancements. Baines will take the reins as the school works toward the capital campaign’s goal of $5 million.