Abstract
The proposed collaborative project will advance understanding of the way that Theileria parva (T.p.) sporozoites interact with mammalian host cells during the feeding process of the tick, and how this knowledge can be used to potentially design carbohydrate-based vaccines. As such this proposal fits well with the BBSRC priority areas “Agriculture and Food Security”, specifically under the aspects of Animal Health and Welfare and Development of Next Generation Vaccines. It will underpin long term commercial aims for improved therapeutic and preventative methods to reduce infectious disease in cattle, and reduce the amount of anti-microbials used. T.p. infection results in more than 1 million deaths per year in cattle, with current treatment consisting of an expensive and technically challenging live parasite-based infection and treatment method (ITM). Thus, new intervention strategies to combat this devastating disease are necessary to be identified.
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