Characterization of Innate Immune Function in the Fish

As the fisheries and aquaculture industries continue to expand in the state of Maine and
worldwide, the need for new disease control methods and diagnostic tests will increase
dramatically. Through the studies outlined in this proposal, we hope to better understand and
potentiate the innate immune response, which is the first line of host defense against pathogens,
and then to modulate this immune function to enhance host response to infection. We have used the zebrafish as a model for economically important species because of the vast body of
scientific information and reagents that are readily available for this species. The information
gained through this model system will be transferred directly to other fish species, such as
rainbow trout and Atlantic salmon, economically important fish of Maine. Findings of these
studies will enable the development of novel strategies for potentiating fish immune function,
improving disease control and facilitating new vaccine strategies, which will ultimately lead to
increased productivity in the aquaculture industry.

Investigator: Kim, C.

Unit: Molecular and Biomedical Sciences

Termination Date: 30-Sep-20