Infection and Immunity Group
Introduction
Control of infectious diseases requires a multi-disciplinary approach to understand the pathogens, the host response to these organisms and the way infections behave in different populations of animals. Experts in all these disciplines work together under this theme to address questions of global importance affecting animal and human health. Infection and Immunity Research at the RVC has become increasingly focused within a new £4M facility opened in November 2008, the Centre for Emerging, Endemic and Exotic Diseases (CEEED). This facility has been designed to optimise integration between epidemiologists, microbiologists, immunologists and clinicians supported by excellent pathology services to facilitate multi-disciplinary programmes of research.
One of the key characteristics of this research group is its ability to respond quickly to emerging animal health challenges, due to its focus on flexible analytical research tools in Veterinary Epidemiology and Public Health.
Research Programme Co-ordinator
Dr Liam Good
Mission
To study infectious agents of global importance to animal and human health; to understand the mechanisms used to establish infection, cause disease and transmit to other hosts; and to develop new and appropriate interventions to control disease.
Increasing emphasis is being placed on emerging diseases in animals, particularly those of zoonotic potential. Vector-borne diseases will become a new focus of this group as climate change enables vectors to invade new habitats and leads to spread of diseases into naïve populations.