Priscilla Barger

Priscilla Barger, PhD, serves as an Assistant Research Professor in the Department of Pathobiology within the College of Veterinary Medicine at Auburn University. Her research program lies at the dynamic intersection of environmental microbiology, aquatic ecology, and bacterial pathogenesis, with a primary focus on understanding and controlling infectious diseases in aquaculture, particularly those caused by hypervirulent Aeromonas hydrophila.

Dr. Barger's educational background includes:

• B.S. from Auburn University
• M.S. from the University of West Georgia
• Ph.D. from Auburn University

Her research interests are deeply interdisciplinary, spanning:

• Bacterial Pathogenesis & Environmental Adaptation: Investigating how environmental factors drive the evolution of virulence in aquatic pathogens.
• Host-Pathogen Interactions: Employing transcriptomics, proteomics, and real-time imaging to study molecular mechanisms of infection and immune responses in aquaculture species.
• Microbial Ecology & Aquatic Health: Exploring the role of microbial communities in ecosystem health and the emergence of opportunistic pathogens.

Additionally, Dr. Barger actively pursues interdisciplinary collaborations for natural product discovery from ectosymbiotic relationships and understanding pathogen adaptation to native hosts.

Dr. Barger currently mentors doctoral student Allison Wise Addison, who is developing immunostimulants to protect fish against vAh and exploring pathogenesis using real-time imaging techniques. Her research program focuses on advancing aquaculture sustainability through pathogen control strategies.

The Barger Lab specializes in microbial pathogenesis research, utilizing advanced molecular techniques including chromosomally integrated near-infrared fluorescent protein (iRFP) expression systems to visualize infection dynamics and develop countermeasures against virulent motile aeromonad septicemia (vMAS) in channel catfish.