C. Jane Welsh

SHORT BIO

Dr. C. Jane Welsh’s research area is neuroimmunology, neurovirology and autoimmunity. She earned a BSc in Microbiology (Hons) and a PhD in Immunology from Queen Elizabeth College, University of London. Following her PhD, she was a postdoc at the Liver Unit, King’s College Hospital investigating autoimmune liver disease and then in 1982 she was a postdoc with Professor R.R.A. Coombs at the University of Cambridge studying rheumatoid arthritis, until 1985. From 1985-1989 she worked with Dr. A.A. Nash on Theiler’s virus-induced multiple sclerosis at Cambridge. In 1989 she moved to Texas A&M as a research scientist and was promoted to full professor in 2012. She has continued working with Theiler’s virus which causes a variety of neurological diseases depending on the strain of mouse infected: encephalitis, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, ALS, and Parkinson’s disease. Her research has been funded by NIH and NMSS and she has worked on: examining the role of the blood brain barrier, the effects of stress on the neuropathogenesis of Theiler’s virus infection and more recently, on collaborative projects examining the effects of mouse genomes on disease outcomes. She served as the Chair of the Texas A&M Institute for Neuroscience from 2011-2017 and was the assistant dean for graduate studies in the college during the same time frame. During 2017-2020, she was appointed interim department head for the department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences. In 2020 she returned to the faculty and remained as an advisor to the new department head in the role of associate department head. In January 2022 she was appointed Senior Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Faculty development in the College of Medicine. In 2023 she returned to the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences as a faculty member. She teaches graduate courses in Immunology and Neurological diseases.

EDUCATION

BSc - London University, UK 1976, (Hon) Microbiology

PhD - London University, UK, 1981, Biochemistry (Immunology)

Postdoctoral Work - Liver Unit, Kings College Hospital, London 1979-81, Autoimmune liver disease

Cambridge University, UK 1981-85, Rheumatoid arthritis

Cambridge University, UK 1985-89, Multiple sclerosis

AWARDS & HONORS

1994 Division of Student Affairs Women's Week Award to Faculty for providing an environment which is conducive to the needs of women

2010 Texas A&M University’s Women’s Progress Award for faculty

2011 Texas A&M University’s Women’s Faculty Outstanding Mentoring Award

2012 Texas A&M University’s Association of Former Students Distinguished Achievement Award for Graduate Mentoring

2020 Masters of Biotechnology Program Award for outstanding service to the program and commitment to the Biotechnology MS students

2024 Veterinary Integrative Biosciences Faculty Mentor Award

PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

International Society for Neuroimmunology

Texas A&M Chapter for Neuroscience

International Society for NeuroImmunoModulation

American Physiological Society

SERVICE

Department Awards Committee, 2024 - Present

VIBS P&T Committee 2024 - Present

Faculty Mentor to 4 faculty members