Fish diseases cost the aquaculture industry millions of pounds annually.
The key goals of the fish immunology group are to understand the functioning and evolution of the fish immune system with a view to development of vaccines and immunostimulants against common fish diseases.
The Fish Cytokine System
Chris Secombes, Steve Bird and Jun Zou
This includes the isolation of fish cytokine genes (e.g. interleukins, interferons and tumour necrosis factors), and study of what influences their expression, structure and ligand interactions
Receptor and ligand model
Identification of fish leucocyte sub populations
Recent work includes use of post-genomics approaches (eg gene chips) for novel immune gene discovery post infection or vaccination.
Facs machine used to sort cell populations
Recent work includes use of post-genomics approaches (eg gene chips) for novel immune gene discovery post infection or vaccination.