The overall goal of my research is to investigate emerging diseases of livestock focusing mainly on viral and prion diseases. We work on influenza viruses, especially swine and avian influenza viruses. We try to understand molecular mechanisms of how influenza viruses are transmitted between animal species and which viral genes are critical for this process. In addition, we try to develop broader and more efficient vaccines. Reverse genetics technology is one of the techniques used in this line of research. Rift Valley Fever virus is another zoonotic pathogen we are working on. Our goal is the development of novel vaccines and diagnostic tools. The prion research conducted is based on prion protein-deficient knock-out cattle, which we previously generated. Here we try to produce knock-in cattle expressing mutated bovine prion proteins using homologous recombination. Recently, I became the director of the Center of Excellence for Emerging and Zoonotic Animal Diseases (CEEZAD), funded by the Department of Homeland Security
