ImmunoChick 2.0: Research on chickens for animals and humans
Research |
The chicken plays an important role for humans: in addition to being kept as a farm animal, it is also a key model organism in research. Much of what we know about the immune system has been researched in chickens. For example, B cells were discovered in chickens.
However, research and husbandry face a major challenge: chickens can become infected with numerous diseases. On the one hand, this has led to widespread vaccinations of chickens, although the mechanisms and consequences of the vaccination are not fully understood. On the other hand, chickens are a significant source of zoonoses, diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans.
Immune research on chickens
The research team is therefore investigating the immune defense of chickens and how they react to various pathogens, such as salmonella. To this end, unique chickens are being bred in which specific defense cells, the B and T cells, are switched off. By specifically switching off these immune cells, their role in the context of certain immune reactions can be tracked very precisely. According to Prof. Benjamin Schusser, Professor of Biotechnology of Reproduction at TUM, the findings will make it possible to decipher the immune response of chickens and their reaction to vaccinations.
He is involved in a project with the research group and is investigating potential binding molecules, so-called ligands, of certain T cells. Dr. Theresa von Heyl from Benjamin Schusser's chair at the TUM School of Life Sciences is also involved with an independent project. She is investigating the role of these T cells during infection and defense against poultry pathogens.
Animal welfare and food security
"If we better understand the avian immune system, i.e. the immune system of poultry, then we can better prevent infections. This is not only good for the animals, which will have a lower disease burden as a result. The findings will also help us to avoid zoonoses and thus also protect human health," explains Benjamin Schusser.
Last but not least, the research will also play a role in food security, as poultry is one of the most important sources of protein for humans. Benjamin Schusser explains: “If we understand the immune defense, we can also improve the animals' health in animal husbandry.”