Abstract
The gut microbiome has significant impact upon the development of the immune response; however beneficial effects of supplementing the microbiome with dietary probiotics have not been well investigated. This project will use a germfree zebrafish model to investigate how the gut microbiotal composition influences the immune response to bacterial challenge and the mechanisms by which specific probiotic bacterial species can manipulate immune functionality.
Results from these studies will lead to an understanding of the importance of the microbiome and particular constituent species (supplemented by probiotic feeding) in educating the immune response in order for the host to resist disease.
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