The Department of Comparative Pathobiology (CPB) in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Purdue University offers graduate programs leading to the Master of Science (MS; thesis or non-thesis) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees.
The Department of Comparative Pathobiology in the College of Veterinary Medicine. Purdue University, offers graduate instruction leading to the Master of Science (MS) or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees to persons possessing the DVM degree and to those with a baccalaureate degree and comprehensive training in the biological sciences. Areas of study include animal welfare science and human-animal interaction, cancer biology, infectious diseases, bacteriology, epidemiology, immunology, laboratory and experimental medicine, parasitology, pathology, public health, toxicology, virology, and molecular genetics.
Earn your MS or PhD in Comparative Pathobiology at Purdue Veterinary Medicine. Study topics like cancer biology, infectious disease, public health, toxicology, and more. Open to DVMs and students with strong biological science backgrounds.
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Assistant Department Head, Comparative Pathobiology | William Iverson Associate Professor of Comparative Pathology | Director, Histology Research Laboratory | Section Head, Pathology | Associate Professor, Veterinary Anatomic Pathology
Abigail Cox is the William Iverson Associate Professor of Comparative Pathology in Purdue University's Department of Comparative Pathobiology. She earned her B.S. in Biology from Washington University in St. Louis, followed by her DVM, MS, and PhD from Purdue University, and completed an Anatomic Pathology residency and board certification through the American College of Veterinary Pathologists in 2011. Dr. Cox now serves as Interim Assistant Department Head and Director of the CTSI core Histology Research Laboratory, and she holds a courtesy appointment in the Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences.
Her research focuses on vocal fold pathobiology, including systemic dehydration, estrogen regulation, and biomechanical responses. Current projects are supported by two consecutive NIH R01 awards. Her work has yielded more than 70 peer-reviewed publications through extensive interdisciplinary collaborations spanning speech-language-hearing sciences, engineering, proteomics, and imaging.
At Purdue, Dr. Cox contributes to graduate, veterinary, and residency education and actively mentors across disciplines, having guided 15 anatomic pathology residents, 12 graduate students, and more than 20 veterinary students. Her dedication to mentorship was recognized with the 2024 Boehringer Ingelheim Best Mentor Award. She also holds leadership roles in the American College of Veterinary Pathology, the Society of Toxicologic Pathology, and the American Society of Investigative Pathology.
