Meet Dr. Janine Seetahal: Section Head - KSVDL Rabies Laboratory

Educational and professional background

Dr. Janine Seetahal received her DVM from the University of the West Indies in 2006, followed by a master’s degree in public health in 2011 and later a doctorate in molecular genetics. Most recently, Dr. Seetahal has been devoted to regulatory and preventative veterinary medicine as a state veterinarian in Trinidad and Tobago from 2009 to 2022, with operational responsibilities broadly encompassing zoonotic diseases surveillance and control, animal import and export regulation, trade in livestock products and disaster management. She became passionate about the subject of rabies and bats while managing the Government Rabies Laboratory in Trinidad and Tobago during the 2010 rabies outbreak in livestock. Seetahal is originally from the island of Trinidad, which has a history in rabies including the discovery of vampire bats.

Dr. Seetahal has carried out many rabies educational initiatives, from boots-on-the-ground community drives to more structured events, such as World Rabies Day. She is looking forward to using her training, education and experience to continue to tackle this One Health issue.

Goals/objectives for the KSVDL Rabies Lab

1. Promote and advance the excellent standards of service provided to the public, industry and regulatory authorities

2. Provide timely, accessible laboratory support to our clients that align well with modernized systems of the future

3. Contribute toward developing practical guidelines for rabies prevention based on scientific evidence that affords the best coverage

How will you align the priorities of the KSVDL with the priorities of the college?

One of the things that drew me to Kansas State University was a quote I saw on the website “Study what you love, connect it to a career and empower yourself to become the best version of you.” It really resonated with me as it captures what I have tried to do over the course of my academic and professional journey.

In line with the visionary goal of the university to be recognized as one of the nation’s top public research universities, I aim to develop innovative research programs that answer essential questions within the context of the evolving epidemiological landscape of rabies across the globe.

The K-State Rabies Laboratory is internationally renowned as one of the largest rabies serology laboratories in the world with the capacity to conduct various types of rabies specific tests dependent on the purpose of testing. I was already familiar with the stellar reputation of the lab from the perspective of a regulatory official and scientist and I am excited to be able to contribute towards upholding these standards.

Outside of serving as the section head for a world-renowned rabies laboratory, Seetahal enjoys spending time with her two young daughters, crafting and reading - especially medical thrillers. Interestingly, she also enjoys bat watching in nature, which she says allowed her to destress while conducting field work for research.