Rate My Professor Richard Laughlin

Laughlin's research program employs molecular and genetic techniques to investigate host-pathogen interactions, with Salmonella Typhimurium as a primary model organism, and the biodiversity of intestinal microbiota in wildlife populations. He has successfully obtained substantial extramural funding, including a $2.4 million USDA grant as Principal Investigator to examine SARS-CoV-2 prevalence in wild and domestic animals from 2023 to 2025, a $434,024 Kleberg Foundation grant as Co-Principal Investigator for infectious disease surveillance in South Texas wildlife from 2023 to 2027, and additional awards from state programs like THECB and JAMP, as well as federal sources such as NIH. His influential publications feature "Salmonella Typhimurium uses smooth swimming to increase invasion in the mammalian gut" in Nature Communications (2021), "Single-dose plant-made biobetter E2 glycoprotein vaccine protects pigs against Classical Swine Fever" in Plant Biotechnology Journal (2018), "Outer membrane vesicles in service as protein shuttles, biotic defenders, and immunological doppelgängers" in Gut Microbes (2016), "Identification of prognostic gene set for seroconversion for vaccination against Rift Valley Fever Virus" in PLOS One (2016), and "Spatial segregation of virulence gene expression during acute enteric infection with Salmonella Typhimurium" in mBio (2015). Laughlin received the Olan Kruse Science Faculty Award in 2025 and the Dean’s Award for Outstanding Teaching in 2019. A member of the American Society for Microbiology, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Sigma Xi Scientific Research Honor Society, and Golden Key International Honour Society, he has mentored numerous graduate and undergraduate students who have advanced to careers in research and professional fields.