My laboratory focuses on the innate and adaptive immune response to respiratory pathogens in cattle.
One of my main areas of interest is the role of the immune system in defense against bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC). BRDC is a multifactorial disease complex that is initiated by a primary viral infection, followed by secondary bacterial pneumonia. My research focuses on the role of innate immune populations, in particular γδ T cells and alveolar macrophages, in the response to infection with pathogens of BRDC including bovine respiratory syncytial virus, Mannheimia haemolytica and Pasturella multocida. We also focus on the development of novel vaccine strategies, including polyanhydride nanoparticle-based vaccines, to protect young animals against pathogens of BRDC.
My other main area of interest is the immune response to Mycobacterium bovis infection in cattle. I am particularly interested in the antigen-specific γδ T cell response and the role it plays in vivo at the site of M. bovis infection. I am also focused on defining the antigen and costimulation requirements for efficient γδ T cell activation during M. bovis infection and applying this knowledge to a more comprehensive vaccination strategy.
