Immunology

What was the domain of specialised health professionals and veterinary researchers, has now become part of our every day lives. Is our immunity influenced by what we eat? Does a stressful life lead to collapse of the immune system? Recently it has become apparent that many of the wonder drugs that we have used to combat infections (antibiotics to cripple bacteria and anthelmintics to eliminate worms) are becoming ineffective due to the increase of resistant strains of microbes.

Therefore, researchers are exploring alternative methods of disease control, such as improving the immunity of humans and livestock. This can be achieved artificially by administering vaccines that can be developed using traditional or molecular techniques. In animals, this ability to reject microbes has been shown to have a genetic component which can be selected for by DNA typing. Both these approaches are carried out at Lincoln University, as are attempts to enhance the natural immunity of animals to pathogens by manipulating their diet.

 For students with an interest in:

• The functions of the animal (and human) body and its abnormalities
• How advances in animal health can be transferred to the animal industries of New Zealand.

Career pathways include:

• Animal health
• Veterinary science
• Technical officers of pharmaceutical companies
• Academics
• Animal industry advisors
• Research scientists.
  

Recent theses

Shanmugathan, T. Quantification of cytokine mRNA levels in sheep infected with Teladorsagia (Ostertagia) circumcincta.

Greer, A W. Estimates of the nutritional cost of the development of immunity to gastrointestinal parasites in sheep.

Lopez-Benavides, M G. BoLA-DQA2 haplotypes and resistance to bovine mastitis.

Xie, H. L. Nutritional and immunological interrelationships in response to nematode infections in periparturient ewes.

Donaldson, J. The effect of nutrition on the periparturient parasite status of sheet.

Slow, S. The DQA2 locus of the ovine MHC: characteristics, polymorphism and association with footrot.

Khalil, A. M. Lymphocyte proliferation and antibody responses to select antigens in the brushtail possum.

Yarali, C. The effect of dietary protein and some amino acids on immunity in parasitised lambs.

Burrows, A. L. Effect of route of infection on serological response in juvenile rabbits experimentally inoculated with RHD virus.

Active researchers and supervisors:
Dr Robin McFarlane
Dr Jon Hickford
Prof Andrew Sykes
Dr Graham Barrell
Dr Rachel Forrest.

Note that there are numerous Masters' degrees that cater for this research.

• Master of Applied Science
• Master of Agricultural Science
• Master of Science
• PhD

Dr Robin McFarlane.