Animal Susceptibility to Infection and Disease: Do Husbandry and Welfare Drive Microbial Colonisation and Immune Development?

The scientific objectives of the programme are to study in pigs the role of commensal gut flora, genetic background and environment on colonisation by pathogens, behaviour and disease susceptibility. The programme will also study in poultry pathogen gene expression (particularly virulence genes), tissue distribution and host immune responses to infection with Salmonella spp. with specific interest in th reporductive tract.<P>

The programme is part of the Defra VTRI and will seek to achieve training aims through a vertically integrated programme extending from undergraduate to postgraduate and postdoctoral training, with each stage focussing on different objectives.